How do you say hello in Valyrian? An in-depth guide for any aspiring dragonlord

Hey there! As a fellow fantasy fan, I know you’re probably just as obsessed with Game of Thrones and the incredible constructed languages in that world as I am. And if you’re reading this, you’re likely eager to learn how to greet someone like a true Targaryen in High Valyrian. Well, you came to the right place, my friend!

As a linguistics geek and valyrian language enthusiast, I’ve dug deep into the history, grammar, and pronunciation of High Valyrian so I can pass along everything you need to know to start speaking like Daenerys Stormborn herself. While High Valyrian may seem daunting at first, with some passion and practice, anyone can get the basics down in no time. So let’s dive in and I’ll walk you through the key phrases that will have you chatting in High Valyrian like a natural.

Greeting others in High Valyrian

Nailing down greeting others is essential for basic conversation in any new language. Luckily, High Valyrian has some simple yet cool-sounding phrases to greet friends and say goodbye.

To say a friendly hello, use "Rytsas" (pronounced rit-sas). It‘s the standard High Valyrian equivalent of "hello" or "hi".

For a more formal greeting, go with "Zīgio syt ivīlin" (pronounced zee-go seet iv-eel-in), meaning "Greetings to you." This will show respect when meeting someone important.

To ask how someone is doing, say "Ao ynoma jorrāelagon?" (pronounced eh-yo no-ma jor-ah-eh-lah-gon). This literally translates to "You well live?" but functions similar to saying "How are you?" or "How‘s it going?" in English.

When it‘s time to part ways, just say "Geros ilas" (pronounced jeh-ros eel-las) to bid someone farewell. This High Valyrian valediction means "Have a good time", serving as a nice equivalent to "goodbye".

Proper responses in High Valyrian

Any good conversation requires back and forth. So after greeting someone in High Valyrian, you‘ll want to know some polite responses as well.

If someone says "Rytsas" to greet you, you can reply back with "Rytsas". Simple as that!

When asked "Ao ynoma jorrāelagon?" a proper response would be "Ynoma jorrāelagon", meaning "I‘m well" or "I‘m doing good".

And finally, when hearing "Geros ilas" as a goodbye, respond with "Geros ilas iksan". This means "And a good time to you too", showing appreciation for their well wishes.

Mastering these basic High Valyrian pleasantries will allow you to engage in introductory conversations completely in Valyrian, impressing any fan of the language.

Vital phrases beyond greetings

Of course, High Valyrian phrases encompass so much more than just hellos and goodbyes. Here are some key Valyrian terms and saying that are vital to know:

• Kirimvose (pronounced kee-rim-voh-seh) – Thank you
• Kessa (pronounced keh-sa) – Yes
• Daor (pronounced dow-r) – No
• Ābrar ziry (pronounced ah-brar zee-rih) – Forgive me / I apologize
• Kostilus jēda (pronounced koh-stee-luth jeh-dah) – Please
• Skoros riños? (pronounced skoh-ros ree-nyos?) – Who are you? / What is your name?

Those phrases should help cover you in most everyday situations. But for conversing about all things Game of Thrones, High Valyrian has even more specialized vocabulary.

Some key phrases every fan should know include:

• Valar morghūlis (pronounced va-lar mor-goo-lis) – All men must die
• Valar dohaeris (pronounced va-lar doe-hay-ris) – All men must serve
• Dracarys (pronounced drah-car-is) – Dragonfire!
• Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor (pronounced zal-dree-zes buz-dar-ri ik-sos doe-r) – A dragon is not a slave

Being able to slyly drop "valar morghūlis" or confidently command "dracarys" will let everyone know you‘re fluent in the High Valyrian lingo of Westeros.

How to ask questions in High Valyrian

Beyond set phrases, constructing original questions and sentences will really test your High Valyrian skills. But with a little grammar know-how, we can break it down step-by-step:

In High Valyrian, most questions start with the particle "se" (pronounced seh) at the beginning of the sentence.

Some examples:

• Se tolī? (pronounced seh toh-lee?) – Is it here?
• Se ziry? (pronounced seh zi-rih?) – Is it true?
• Se morghūljagon daor? (pronounced seh mor-goo-jag-on doe-r?) – Must (a man) not die?

To make a question negative, just add "daor" (meaning "no" or "not") at the end:

• Se ziry daor? – Is it not true?
• Se morghūljagon daor? – Must (a man) not die?

Using "se" and "daor" as building blocks, you can construct complex questions on the fly in High Valyrian.

Proper titles and forms of address

An important element of High Valyrian is knowing how to properly address the various characters and leaders in Game of Thrones.

Here are some key titles and terms of address:

• Dāria (pronounced dah-ree-ah) – Queen
• Dārilaros (pronounced dah-ril-ah-ros) – King
• Aōha dārilaros (pronounced aye-oh-ha dah-ril-ah-ros) – Your Grace (addressing a king)
• Aōha dāria (pronounced aye-oh-ha dah-ree-ah) – Your Grace (addressing a queen)
• Jaelā (pronounced jah-eh-lah) – Princess
• Hāedar (pronounced hey-dar) – Lord
• Vīlībāzma (pronounced vee-lee-bahz-mah) – Lady
• Ōdrikagon zirȳla (pronounced ohd-rik-ah-gon zee-reel-ah) – To make/keep peace

When addressing royalty, nobles, or peers, getting the terms right shows respect. Between commoners though, first names are fine.

Useful expressions of courtesy

Equally as important as titles in High Valyrian is knowing polite expressions to show courtesy day-to-day:

• Kostilus (pronounced kohs-tee-lus) – Please
• Ābrar ziry (pronounced ah-brar zee-rih) – Forgive me / I apologize
• Kirimvose (pronounced kee-rim-voh-seh) – Thank you
• Ao jāre (pronounced eh-yo jah-reh) – Yes (responding to thanks)
• Ziry jēda sidīr (pronounced zee-rih jeh-da si-deer) – You‘re very kind

Using those courteous phrases goes a long way towards smooth interactions. Throwing a "Kirimvose" to thank someone or an "Ābrar ziry" to apologize shows you know High Valyrian etiquette.

Breaking down famous Valyrian quotes

One of the best ways to master High Valyrian is analyzing famous quotes word for word. Let‘s break down two of the most iconic phrases:

Valar Morghūlis

Valar – All

Morghūlis – Men must die

Literal translation: "All men must die"

Reflects the belief that death comes for all eventually.

Dracarys

Dra – Dragon

Carys – Fire

Literal translation: "Dragonfire!"

The dramatic command used by Targaryns to unleash their dragons‘ flames, turning enemies into ashes.

Looking at vocabulary definitions within longer phrases gives you a deeper understanding of High Valyrian that you just can‘t get from simple vocabulary lists.

Common High Valyrian names

In addition to titles and common nouns, High Valyrian has specific names used for the characters in Game of Thrones. Here are some of the most popular authentic Valyrian names from the books and show:

Male:

• Rhaegar
• Viserys
• Daemon
• Aegon
• Aemond
• Rhaenyra
• Maekar
• Aerion

Female:

• Daenerys
• Rhaella
• Visenya
• Rhaenys
• Elaena
• Helaena
• Naerys

Dragons:

• Drogon
• Rhaegal
• Viserion
• Vhagar
• Arrax
• Meleys
• Syrax

Being familiar with these names allows you to pronounce them properly and understand references made in the show.

Writing system of High Valyrian

Beyond just speaking High Valyrian, there is also a full writing system created for the language. Developed by linguist David J. Peterson, the High Valyrian writing script takes inspiration from Roman letters. The script flows fluidly without spaces between words when written.

Here are the 32 letters of the High Valyrian alphabet:

High Valyrian Alphabet – Image source: Wiki of Ice and Fire

Some unique letters include:

• Ā, Ē, Ī, Ō, Ū – Used for long vowels
• J – Makes a "y" sound
• H – Is silent

To write your name in Valyrian, you‘d substitute some letters:

• J = Y
• C = K
• Z = S
• V = B

So the name "Javez" would be written "Yabes" in High Valyrian characters.

Here are some key phrases properly written in High Valyrian script:

• Valar Morghūlis – ᐸᑭᑯᗰ ᒍᕐᗓᑯᔽᓭ
• Drogon Zaldrīzes – ᑇᖉᕐᗜᕐᓭ ᕼᑭᑇᖉᔻᓭᕈᓯ
• Mīsā aōhos ōdrekar – ᒍᔻᔪᕈ ᕈᕼᕐᓭ ᕈᑇᖉᕇᕐ (My dragon is beautiful)

Being able to read and write High Valyrian takes your knowledge to an expert level.

Origin and history of High Valyrian

To really appreciate High Valyrian, it helps to know the origin story and history behind this unique language.

According to Game of Thrones lore, High Valyrian was originally spoken in the Valyrian Freehold, an advanced civilization that reigned in southern Essos thousands of years before the show‘s events. They were renowned for their dragons, magic, and knowledge.

Valyrian nobility spoke High Valyrian, while slaves and commoners spoke Low Valyrian dialects. The Freehold fell after a cataclysmic event known as The Doom of Valyria, with only a few Valyrian noble families surviving.

The Targaryens were one noble family that escaped The Doom, fleeing to Dragonstone. They continued speaking High Valyrian for centuries after, keeping the language alive. But isolated on Dragonstone, their High Valyrian became rusty and influenced by Westeros‘ Common Tongue over time.

Daenerys Targaryen struggles to speak pure High Valyrian, reflecting how endangered the language has become even for Valyrian descendants.

This rich linguistic history developed by George R.R. Martin brings High Valyrian to life. The evolution and rarity of pure High Valyrian today mirrors real endangered languages.

Useful statistics on High Valyrian:

Vocabulary

• Around 2,000 words created so far
• 184 nouns and 131 verbs published on the Valyrian languages wiki

Native Speakers

• 0 native speakers in the real world
• Less than 20 estimated fluent speakers in the Game of Thrones universe after the fall of House Targaryen

Dialects

• High Valyrian – Classical form of the language originally from Valyria
• Low Valyrian – Heavily diverged daughter languages like Astapori Valyrian and Meereenese Valyrian

Writing System

• Uses a script inspired by the ancient Roman alphabet
• Has 32 letters, including 5 vowels with macrons to indicate long vowels

Language Classification

• Fictional constructed language (conlang) created by David J. Peterson
• In-universe language family classified as Valyrian languages

Helpful resources for learning High Valyrian

As you can see, High Valyrian has a rich detailed history and grammar just waiting to be explored. Here are some of my favorite resources if you want to dive deeper:

• Duolingo Course – Free interactive High Valyrian lessons.
• Dothraki Wiki – Expand your vocabulary using this High Valyrian dictionary.
• Official Dothraki Blog – Get insider tips on constructing languages from David J. Peterson himself.
• Valyrian Steel – Forge your own steel blade and engrave it with High Valyrian words or phrases.
• High Valyrian Dictionary PDF – Downloadable dictionary with 1,000+ words and definitions.

With passion and some dedication to regular study, High Valyrian‘s unique flow and expressions will stick with you over time. Don‘t be discouraged if it seems tricky at first. Step by step, you‘ll get the hang of it!

Final thoughts on this beautiful, complex language

Well, there you have it – everything you need to start speaking like a true Targaryen aristocrat in High Valyrian!

As you can see, High Valyrian is much more than just a few magical phrases. It‘s a full conlang with extensive vocabulary, grammar, and history behind it. Learning it takes time, but any fan willing to put in the effort can master the basics.

I hope you found this guide helpful as an introduction to the language. Let me know if you have any other questions! While tricky at times, learning High Valyrian is extremely rewarding for fans of the world of Game of Thrones. Speaking this poetic language of dragons and magic allows you to truly immerse yourself in that universe.

So start practicing those High Valyrian greetings, and remember…valar morghūlis!