Translate English text into High Valyrian, the constructed language from Game of Thrones created by linguist David J. Peterson for the world of A Song of Ice and Fire.
High Valyrian is a constructed language created by linguist David J. Peterson for HBO's Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. In the fictional world of A Song of Ice and Fire, it was the language of the ancient Valyrian Freehold — a vast empire that once dominated Essos. After the Doom of Valyria, the language evolved into various Low Valyrian dialects spoken across the Free Cities, but High Valyrian endured as a language of education, religion, and nobility, much like Latin in medieval Europe.
High Valyrian has a rich grammatical system with four grammatical numbers (singular, plural, paucal, and collective), four grammatical genders (lunar, solar, terrestrial, and aquatic), and an extensive case system. Verbs conjugate across multiple tenses and moods. The language uses a subject-object-verb word order and features agglutinative elements. Peterson developed a vocabulary of several thousand words, making it one of the most complete fictional languages ever constructed.
While High Valyrian is the classical, prestige form of the language, Low Valyrian refers to the family of descendant languages spoken in Slaver's Bay, the Free Cities, and other regions. Astapori Valyrian, spoken in Astapor, is the most developed Low Valyrian variant. These dialects simplified much of High Valyrian's grammar and shifted pronunciation significantly — similar to how French, Spanish, and Italian evolved from Latin.
All men must die, but we are not men.
Valar morghulis, yn īlva abre issi daor.
I am the blood of the dragon. Fire cannot kill a dragon.
Nyke zaldrīzoti ānogar iksan. Perzys zaldrīzī ossēnagon kostos daor.
The night is dark and full of terrors.
Bantis zōbrie issa se ossēnātās morghūljās.
I will take what is mine with fire and blood.
Ñuha bisa gīmīlūn perzo se ānogrō māzīlun.
Dracarys!
Dracarys!
Several High Valyrian phrases have become iconic in popular culture. Valar morghulis (all men must die) and its response Valar dohaeris (all men must serve) are perhaps the most recognized. Dracarys, Daenerys's command for her dragons to breathe fire, literally means 'dragonfire.' The phrase Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor — 'a dragon is not a slave' — became one of the most memorable moments in the series when Daenerys revealed her fluency in Valyrian to the slavers of Astapor.
High Valyrian is available as a course on Duolingo, developed in collaboration with David J. Peterson himself. The course covers vocabulary, grammar, and sentence construction. Peterson has also published linguistic notes and interviews detailing the language's design, making High Valyrian one of the most accessible fictional languages to study.
Yes, High Valyrian was developed by professional linguist David J. Peterson with a complete grammatical system, phonology, and a vocabulary of several thousand words. It has four grammatical genders, four numbers, a case system, and full verb conjugation. While not every possible word exists, the language has enough structure and vocabulary to form complex sentences and express a wide range of ideas.
High Valyrian is the classical, prestige language of the ancient Valyrian Freehold — think of it like Latin. Low Valyrian refers to the family of descendant dialects that evolved after the Doom of Valyria, spoken across the Free Cities and Slaver's Bay. Astapori Valyrian is the most developed Low Valyrian dialect. Low Valyrian dialects have simplified grammar, shifted pronunciation, and borrowed words from local languages.
Translations use the vocabulary and grammar rules established by David J. Peterson for the show and expanded through his published notes and the Duolingo course. For words and concepts that don't have official Valyrian equivalents, the translator constructs plausible forms following the language's established morphological patterns. These constructed forms are educated approximations, not canon vocabulary.
You can use the translations as a strong starting point for creative projects. However, since High Valyrian is a complex constructed language with nuanced grammar, we recommend cross-referencing important translations with resources like the Valyrian wiki or David J. Peterson's published materials, especially for permanent uses like tattoos.
'Valar morghulis' means 'all men must die' in High Valyrian. The traditional response is 'Valar dohaeris,' meaning 'all men must serve.' This exchange serves as a greeting and philosophical statement in the world of Game of Thrones, particularly associated with the Faceless Men of Braavos.
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