Quenya is the Tolkien language created for the Elves and based partly on Finnish. Tolkien developed it as an artistic language with a detailed sound system, grammar, and vocabulary.
Quenya is associated especially with the High Elves, or Eldar, in Tolkien’s mythology. Its vocabulary and structure also reflect Tolkien’s knowledge of Latin and Greek, while Finnish provided an important inspiration for its phonology and grammatical character.
Readers sometimes confuse Quenya with Sindarin, another major Elvish language in Tolkien’s legendarium. Sindarin was more widely spoken in Middle-earth during the events of The Lord of the Rings, whereas Quenya had a more formal and historical role. Names such as Eärendil and Númenor draw on Tolkien’s invented linguistic traditions.