Wikia

This article is about the Na'vi language in general. You may be looking for spoken Na'vi in the film.

The Na'vi language is the constructed language of the indigenous Na'vi used in the Avatar film and games. It was created by Paul Frommer, a professor at the Marshall School of Business with a doctorate in linguistics. He designed the language according to fit it to some of James Cameron's ideas of how the language should sound. Beside this, the only constraint was that it had to be learnable and pronounceable by the actors.

The Na'vi have a tribal communal culture. They have no written language. Their history is passed down by oral tradition through stories. Humans, in order to document it, use most English alphabet letters, plus two diacritics (ä, ì), three ejectives (px, tx, kx), and an apostrophe as a glottal stop.

To learn the language please refer to: Learnnavi.org

Wordlist Edit

English → Na'vi Edit

A Edit

across - ka
again - nìmun
agree - mllte
alien - ketuwong, kewong
alien (non-Na'vi) - faketuan
allow - tung
almost - stum
alone - nì'awtu
among - kip
ancestor - pizayu
animal, beast - ioang
apology - tsap'alute
arm - pxun
arrive - pähem
arrow - swizav
art - tseo
as (i.e.: same way as) - tengfya
ask - pawm
attack - 'eko
avatar (dreamwalker body) - uniltìrantokx
awake - txen
away (direction) - neto
away (position) - mìso

B Edit

baby carrier/sling - iveh k'nivi s'di
back (direction) - ne'ìm
bad, evil - kawng
badge - pätsì
be at, occupy a space - tok
be responsible - Kllfrio'
beat (rhythmic) - 'ekong
become - slu
beetle larva(e) - teylu
before, in front of - eo
begin, start - sngä'i
beginning, start time - sngä'ikkr
bind - yìm
blue - ean
Blue Flute Clan - Omaticaya
body - tokxn
bond (neural connection) - Tsaheylu
bone - txärem
boom - kxangngang
bow and arrow - tsko swizaw
bow - tsko
boy - ’evengan
boy (colloquial) - ’evan (n.)
brain - eltu
brainworm - eltungawng
branch (of a tree) - vul
brave - tsteu
bring - zamunge
brother - tsmukan
burn, consume - nekx
but - slä
butt - txìm
by, via, following - ìla

C Edit

call - syaw
calm - mawey
camp - 'awm
can, be able - tsun
captive - spe'etu
capture - spe'e
center (place in the middle) - kxamtseng
challenge (ceremonial) - fpeio
change - latem
child - 'eveng
choose - fxtey
clan - olo'
clan leader - olo'eyktan
clear, certain - law
clever (thing) - sìlronsem
close - lok
cloud - pìwopx
colleague - lertu
come - za'u
continually - nìtut
on the contrary, conversely - nìwä
cord - telem
create - ngop
creature - swirä
cut - mun'i

D Edit

daddy - sempu
dance - sreu
danger - hrrap
dangerous - lehrrap
daughter - 'ite
day - trr
dead - kerusey
demon - vrrtep
destroy - ska'a
die - terkup
dig up - kllkulat
dim (of a person) - snumìna
dinner, served meal - wutso
Direhorse - pa'li
dive - tawng
do not (negative) - rä'ä
do, make - si
doctor - toktor
done, finished - hasey
down - kllte
dream - unil
Dream Hunt - Uniltaron
dreamwalker (avatar) - uniltìranyu
drive out - kurakx
drum (made of skin) - au
duck - tawng

E Edit

ear - mikyun
easily - nìftue
easy - ftue
eat - yom
elbow - pxuntil
English language - 'ìnglìsì
enough - nìtam
enter - fpxäkìm
everyone - frapo
everything - fra'u
evil - tìkawng
examine - steftxaw
example - tìkenong
eye - nari
eyes (two) - menari

F Edit

false - tsleng
Fan Lizard - kenten
far away, at a distance - alìm
fast - nìwin
father - sempul
fear - txopu
feed - yomtìng
female (person) - tutee
finger - zekwä
fire - txep
first - 'awve
first - nì'awve
fly - tswayon
for the sake of - fpi
forbidden - kxanì
forest - na'rìng
forgiveness - txoa
four - tsìng
fresh (food) - pxausul
from above - ta'em
from (direction) - ftu
from (various uses) - ta
full - teya
funny - hiyìk

G Edit

get down! (to the ground) - ne kllte!
'girl - ’evenge
girl (colloquial) - ’eve
give - tìng
go - käì
good - sìltsan
good bye, see you again soon - kìyevame
good bye, Eywa be with you - Eywa ngahu
Got it, I understand - tslolam
grab - niä
grant - teswotìng
great leonopteryx, last shadow - toruk
great, much, many (quantity) - txan
great, noble - nawm
ground - kllte
group of people, party - pongu
guide - fyaxwìntxu
gunship - kunsìp

H Edit

halt - txey
he - poan
he, she - po
heart - txe'lan
hello - kaltxì
help, assistance - srung
hexapede, hexapod - Yerik
hill - ramtsyìp
hold off, suspend action - fpak
home - kelku
Hometree - Kelutral
honor - meuia
hot - som
how (conjunction) - fyape
how (adjective) - peyfa
hunt - taron
hunter - taronyu

I Edit

I - oe
if - txo
if not, or else - txokefyaw
in - mì
insanity - keye'ung
interpret - ralpeng

J Edit

joint, hinge - til
jump - spä

K Edit

kid, child - 'evi
kill - tspang
knee - kinamtil
know - omun

L Edit

land - atxkxe
large - apxa
last, ultimate, terminal - tor
lead - eyk
leader - eyktan
learn' - nume
leave, depart - hum
leave, abandon - txìng
leg - kinam
level - 'engeng
life - tìrey
light - atan
like us - Nìayoeg
like, as - na
lip - seyri
listen - tìng mikyun
listen, pay attention, quit goofing off - eltu si
life - rey
live, dwell - kelku si
long (period of time) - yol
longer (time) - nulkrr
look - tìng nari
look at - nìn

M Edit

male (person) - tutean
many - pxay
mated - muntxa
matriarch - Tshahìk
matter - txele
matter, be of importance - tsranten
meaning - ral
medusa (animal) - fpxafaw
meeting - ultxa
message - 'upxare
middle, midpoint - kxam
mighty - fkeu
mind - ronsem
'mist, fog, steam - yapay
model, represent, exemplify - kenong
moment - swaw
mommy - sa'nu
more - nì'ul
moron - skxawng
mother - sa'nok
mountain banshee - ikran
move, shift position - rikx
much - nìtxan
music - pamtseo
must - zene

N Edit

need - kin
need - tìkin
never - kawkrr
news, something to report - fmawm
night - txon
no - kehe
no (before a noun) - kea
no one - kawtu
nose - ontu
not - ke
nothing - ke'u
now - set

O Edit

offense, insult - zoplo
one - fko
one number - 'aw
one (person - 'awpo
only - nì'aw
or - fu
other - lahe
other one (person or thing) - lapo
outside - wrrpa

P Edit

part - hapxì
pass (a test) - emza'u
passionately, with all heart - nìftxavang
path, way - fya'o
pattern - renu
peel - fkarut
People (the People: name for themselves) - Na'vi
perhaps, maybe - kxawm
person - tute
place - tseng(e)
Plant species - Eyaye
please - rutxe
poison - txum
pretty - sevin
Prolemuris - syaksyuk
promise (a thing to someone) - pänutìng
pronunciation - lì’upam
proper, fair, right - muiä
protect, shelter hawnu
protection - tìhawnu
pull - za'ärìp

Q Edit

quiet ("be quiet!") - fnu

R Edit

rain - tompa
ready - alaksì
release, let go - lonu
remain, stay - 'ì'awn
remembrance - 'ok
request - ätxäle
rhythm - kato
ride - makto
ride out - kämaktao
rock, stone - tskxe
run - tul

S Edit

sacred - swok
sacred place - swotu
safe place, refuge - zongteng
save - zong
saying (quote) - san
see (physical sense) - tse'a
See (spiritual sense) - kame
seed - rina'
Seeds of the great tree - atrokirina'
seem, appear - lam
send - fpe'
service - kìte'en
seven - kinä
shadow - uk
sharp - pxi
she - poe
show - wintxu
sibling - tsmuk, tsmuktu
sign, omen - aungia
sing - rol
sister - tsmuke
sixteen - vofu
sky - taw
Sky person - Tawtute
Slinger - Lenay'ga
small - hì'i
smell - faheu
smile - lrrtok
so (or "in that case") - ha
so that - fte
so that not - fteke
son - 'itan
song - tìrol, way
songchord - waytelem
soon - ye'rin
sound - pam
speak - plltxe
spear - tukru
species of fruit or vegetable - ki'ong, kxener
spin - kim
spiral - 'iheyu
spirit - tirea
spirit animal - tireaioang
spirit path - tireafya'o
spread, proliferate - virä
stand - kllkxem
star - tanhì
stingbat - riti
stop - ftang
stopping - tìftang
straight - yey
strength - tìtxur
strike - takuk
stringed instrument - i'en
(facial) stripe - pil
strong - txur
study - ftia
sturmbeest - talioang
suffice - tam
sun - tsawke

T Edit

tail - kxetse
take, bring - munge
take/consume time - krrnekx
teacher - karyu
teaching, instruction - sänume
tell - peng
territory - kllpxìltu
test - fmetok, tìfmetok
Tetrapteron - fkio
than - to
Thanator - palulukan
thank you - irayo
that - tsnì
that (action) - tsakem
that (as object) - tsat
that (person) - tsatu
then, at that time - tsakrr
there, that place - tsatseng
they - ayfo, fo
they (those two) - mefo
thirthy-two - tsìvol
this (action) - fikem
this (thing) fi'u
this one (person or thing) - fipo
this way, like this - fifya
this here, this place - fitseng(e)
thread - kìng
Thundering Rocks, Stairway to Heaven, Hallelujah Mountaints (floating mountains) - Iknimaya
time - krr
to (direction) - ne
to the others - aylaru
together - 'awsiteng
too - nìhawng
touch - 'ampi
track, lock up - sutx
training, exercise - tskxekeng
tree - utral
Tree of Voices - Utral Aymokriyä
true - ngay
truly - nìngay
trunk (of a tree) - tangek
truth - tìngay
try - fmi
turn - mìn
two - mune

U Edit

understand - tslam
unfold, blossom - 'ong
unquote - sìk

V Edit

valid - kangay
viperwolf - nantang
vision - äie
voice - mokri

W Edit

wait - pey
walk - tìran
want - neu
war - tsam
war party - tsampongu
warrior - tsamsiyu
wash - yur
watch out, be careful - nari si
we (exclusive) - ayoe
we (inclusive) - ayoeng
we; two (exclusive) - ayoeng
we; two (inclusive) - moe
weak - meyp
weave - täftxu
weaver - täftxuyu
well - nìltsan
well-being, peace - fpom
what (thing) - 'upe
what (action) - kempe
what (before a noun) - pe
when - krrpe, pehrr
where (adjective) - peseng
where (adjective) - tsengpe
which, that - a
while (same time as) - tengkrr
who - pesu, tupe
why - lumpe, pelun
wind - hufwe
wing - tsyal
wise - txantslusam
with (accompaniment) hu
with (by means of) - fa
word - lì'u
World spirit guiding force and deity; Eywa - Eywa
world (physical) - kifkey
worm - ngawng
worst - 'e'al
worthy - pxan

Y Edit

year - zìzìt
yellow - rim
yes - srane
you - aynga, nga
young - 'ewan

Na'vi - English Edit

'ampi - touch
mawe - calm
'e'al - worst
'eko - attack
'ekong - beat (rhythmic)
'engeng - level
’evan - boy (colloquial)
’eve - girl (colloquial)
’evengan - boy
’evenge - girl
'ì'awn - remain, stay
'ìheyu - spiral
'it - bit, small amount
'ok - remembrance
'ong - unfold, blossom
'upxare - message
äie - vision
alaksi - ready
apxa - large
atan - light
ätxäle - request
atxkxe - land
au - drum (made of skin)
aungia - sign, omen
ean - blue
emza'u - pass (a test)
eyk - lead
eyktan - leader
Eywa ngahu - Good-bye, Eywa be with you
fa - with (by means of)
faheu - smell
fkarut - peel
fkeu - mighty
fkio - Tetrapteron
fmawn - news, something to report
fmetok - test
fmi - try
fnu - quiet (be quiet)
fpak - hold off, suspend action
fpe' - send
fpeio - challenge (ceremonial)
fpom - well being; peace
fpi - For the sake of
irayo - thanks
kaltxì - hello
kenten - Fan Lizard
lì’upam - pronunciation
nìwä - on the contrary, conversely
pil - facial stripe
pìwopx - cloud
ramtsyìp - hill
rutxe - please
syaksyuk - prolemuris
tor - last, ultimate, terminal
txärem - one
uk - shadow
yapay - mist, fog, steam

Numbers Edit

Main article: Octal Arithmetic

’aw - One
- ’awve - First
- ’awpo - One individual
- ’awsiteng - Together (lit. one-do-same)
mune - two
pxey - three
tsìng - four
mrr - five
pukap - six
kinä - seven
vol - eight
vofu - sixteen
tsìvol - thirty-two (octal: 40)
ay- - plural prefix
me- - dual prefix
pxe- - trial prefix

Adverbs Edit

alìm - Far away, at a distance
eo - Before, in front of

CorrelativesEdit

Words in *Asterisk and Italic are hypothetical. They are not attested, but extrapolated by analogy and the way other words are formated. It's possible that they don't exist.

Correlatives	*`u' (thing)	*lun' (reason)	fya`o' (path, way)	tseng(e)' (place)	krr' (time)	*ken' (action)	po/*tu''' (person)
pe what (before a noun)	’upe what (thing)	lumpe why	fyape how	tsengpe where	krrpe when	kempe what (action)	tupe who
pe	peu	pelun	pefya	peseng	pehrr	pehem	pesu
ke not	ke'u nothing	-	-	**kawtseng* nowhere	kawkrr never	**kawkem* no action	kawtu no one
**fra* all	fra'u everything	-	-	**fratseng* everywhere	**frakrr* always	-	frapo everyone
lahe other	**la'u* other thing	-	**lafya* other way	**latseng* elsewhere	**lakrr* other time	**lakem* other action	lapo other one
*fi this	**fi'u* this thing	**filun* this reason	fifya this way	fitseng here	**fikrr* now	fikem this action	fipo this person
**tsa* that	tsa'u that thing	**tsalun* this reason	**tsafya* that way	tsatseng there	thakrr then	tsakem that action	tsatu that person
**teng* same	teng'u same thing	**tenglun* same reason	tengfya same way as	**tengtseng* same place	tengkrr while	**tengkem* same action	**tengtu* same person

Pronouns Edit

PersonalEdit

a - Which, that
aylaru - To the others

Pronoun sing. dual trial plural

1st person, exclusive oe moe pxoe ayoe

1st person, inclusive '-' oeng pxoan ayoeng

2nd person nga menga pxoang aynga

3rd person po mefo pxfo ayfo

The deferential forms of "I" and "you" are ohe and ngenga. Possessive forms include ngeyä (your) and peyä (her/his)."He" and "she" can optionally be differentiated as poan(He) and poé(She)

Names and terms Edit

Eywa - "World spirit" – guiding force and deity
Amhul - Child's name
Änsìt - Child's name
Ralu - child’s name
faketuan - Alien (i.e. non-Na’vi)
fpeio - challenge (ceremonial)
Uniltaron - Dream Hunt
tireafya’o - spirit path
tireaioang - spirit animal
Tsaheylu - bond (neural connection)
Tsahìk - matriarch
tsawke - sun
teylu - beetle larva(e)
Tawtute - Sky Person
olo’eyktan - Clan leader
Omaticaya - Blue Flute Clan
uniltìrantokx - "dreamwalker body"; avatar
Iknimaya - Thundering rocks, Stairway to Heaven (Hallelujah Mountains)

Animals and plantsEdit

ioang - animal, beast
nantang - Viperwolf
fpxafaw - Medusa
Eyaye - Warbonnet
eltungawng - brainworm
Pa'li - Direhorse
Angtsik - Hammerhead Titanothere
Yerik - Hexapede
Toruk - "last shadow"; Great Leonopteryx
Ikran - Mountain Banshee
Lenay'ga - Slinger
atokirina’ - seeds of the great tree
palulukan - "Dry Mouth Bringer of Fear"; Thanator
utral - tree
Utral Aymokriyä - Tree of Voices
Kelutrel - Hometree (tree for living in)

Loans Edit

'ìnglìsì - English language
kunsìp - gunship
toktor - doctor

Body Edit

til - joint, hinge
kinam - leg
- kinamtil - leg-joint, knee
pxun - arm
- pxuntil - arm-joint, elbow
kxetse - tail
zekwä - finger
tsyal - wing
txìm - butt, rear end
nari - eye
- menari - eyes (two)
mikyun - ear
ontu - nose
seyri - lip
eltu - Brain
eltu si - Pay attention, quit goofing off

Note: The verb tìng "give" is used for senses; for example tìm mikyun "give ear, listen"

Family Edit

olo’ - clan
’eveng - child
- ’evi - kid (affectionate form of “child”)
’itan - son
’ite - daughter
sempul - father
- sempu - daddy
sa’nok - mother
- sa’nu - mommy
tsmukan - brother
tsmuke - sister

Sentences Edit

"Hello, how are you?"

Kaltxì.	Nga-ru	lu	fpom	srak?
Greetings.	To-you	be	well.being	(question marker)

"It’s a pleasure to be able to chat with you in Na’vi"

Tsun	oe	nga-hu	nì-Na’vi	pivängkxo	a	fì-’u	oe-ru	prrte’	lu
be.able	I	you-with	ADV-Na’vi	pleasure?	that	this-thing	to me	speak^[1]	be

"I apologise for this moron"

Fì-skxawng-ìri	tsap’alute	s<eng>i	oe
this-moron-for	apology	do<?>	I

"These demons are forbidden here"

F-ay-vrrtep	fì-tsenge	lu	kxanì
this-PL-demon	this-place	be	forbidden

"Your alien smell fills my nose"

Oe-ri	ta	ngeyä	faheu	akewong	ontu	teya	längu
me-TOP	from	you-GEN	smell	alien^[2]	nose	full	is-DISTASTE

"I See you" (a greeting) (Means to see into someone, refers to their soul, *understanding*)^[3]

Oe-l	nga-ti	kam<ei>e
I-ERG	you-ACC	See<LAUD>

NotesEdit

http://www.learnnavi.org/navi-vocabulary/ For more words.

Behind the scenesEdit

The Na’vi language was created by Paul Frommer, a professor at the Marshall School of Business with a doctorate in linguistics. The Na'vi language is heavily based on the Maori language, which is one of the three official languages of New Zealand.

ReferencesEdit

↑ "Speak" is listed as pllte’. It is not clear if the word has been changed, or if prrte’ is an inflection of pllte’.
↑ The root for 'alien' may be the ke, as in kewong, ketuwong, faketuan, all meaning "alien"; the -tu- in these is a suffix for "person".
↑ The "See" is capitalized in the script, as it means to see into & understand a person.How to Speak Na'vi, UGO Movie Blog, 2009 Dec 14

External linksEdit

Start a Discussion Discussions about Na'vi Language

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[0] "Speak" is listed as pllte’. It is not clear if the word has been changed, or if prrte’ is an inflection of pllte’.

[1] The root for 'alien' may be the ke, as in kewong, ketuwong, faketuan, all meaning "alien"; the -tu- in these is a suffix for "person".

[2] The "See" is capitalized in the script, as it means to see into & understand a person.How to Speak Na'vi, UGO Movie Blog, 2009 Dec 14

[1]

[2]

[3]