Dothraki Phrases for Love and Loyalty

Dothraki Phrases for Love and Loyalty

Quick Answer: The most romantic Dothraki phrases are jalan atthirari anni ("moon of my life" — used by Drogo for Daenerys), shekh ma shieraki anni ("my sun and stars" — used by Daenerys for Drogo), anha zhilak yera ("I love you" — the rarest Dothraki sentence, spoken only between bonded pairs), qoy qoyi ("blood of my blood" — the bloodrider/spouse bond), and mra qoy qoyi ("in blood of my blood" — an oath of total loyalty). All canon Peterson, attested in Living Language Dothraki.

The love story between Khal Drogo and Daenerys Targaryen gave Game of Thrones some of its most tender moments — expressed entirely in Dothraki. These phrases became iconic, and for good reason: David J. Peterson built Dothraki love vocabulary with the same care he brought to every other part of the language.

The Foundational Love Vocabulary

zhilak — to love (verb). The root of Dothraki romantic expression.

• Anha zhilak yera — "I love you"
• Me zhilak yera — "He/she loves you"
• Yer zhilakhat anha? — "Do you love me?"

jalan — moon. In Dothraki cosmology, the moon is female, beautiful, and constant — she watches over the grasslands and gives light to night riders. To call someone your moon is to say they are your constant light in darkness.

shekh — sun. The male counterpart to the moon, blazing and life-giving.

atthirari — life/of life/living (noun/adjective). From thirarat (to live).

The Most Famous Phrases

Jalan atthirari anni

"Moon of my life."

Khal Drogo's endearment for Daenerys. Breaking it down:

• jalan — moon
• atthirari — of life (genitive form of atthirar, life)
• anni — my (first person possessive)

The full meaning: "Moon of my life" — the light that guides through darkness, beautiful and constant.

Shekh ma shieraki anni

"My sun and stars."

Daenerys's reciprocal endearment for Drogo.

• shekh — sun
• ma — and
• shieraki — stars (related to shiera, star)
• anni — my

Together these two phrases form a complementary pair: he is her moon (what she sees at night, reflecting his light), she is his sun and stars (the larger cosmos that lights his world). This celestial framing elevates their relationship to something mythic — appropriate for a Khal who considers himself a force of nature.

Additional Love and Loyalty Vocabulary

van — loyalty, to be loyal. More than a feeling — a warrior commitment.

Yer chomoe anha — "You honor me." Said between people who recognize each other's worth and choose to be in relationship.

Anha geme yera — "I see you." In Dothraki, seeing someone fully — recognizing their worth and reality — is an act of intimacy. This phrase carries more weight than its English equivalent.

Anha vazhak yera — "I give you [something]." Dothraki love is expressed through giving — horses, protection, loyalty, name.

Me ray ezas — "It has been found/He/she has been found." Used when someone discovers their person — the one they've been looking for.

Loyalty Vocabulary: The Other Side of Love

In Dothraki culture, love and loyalty are inseparable. The words for loyalty (van, chomoe) appear in romantic contexts because Dothraki love is always also a bond of mutual protection and commitment.

Yer jin khalasaroon — "You are of this Khalasar" — the acceptance of someone into the community, which is the most public form of loyalty declaration.

Anha vo rakhas yera — "I will not abandon you." Rakhas (to abandon, to leave behind) negated with vo — a direct oath of loyalty.

Using These Phrases

These phrases work for fans of the show, for learners interested in the language, and for anyone drawn to their poetic quality. Jalan atthirari anni has appeared on wedding cards, anniversary gifts, and yes, tattoos.

Whatever your context, understanding the vocabulary behind the phrase deepens its meaning.

Explore the full range of Dothraki vocabulary at learningelvish.com.

People Also Ask

How do you say "I love you" in Dothraki? Anha zhilak yera — literally "I love-you-acc." zhilat is the verb "to love" and one of the rarest verbs in the language. Dothraki culturally reserves the explicit declaration for serious bonds; you wouldn't say anha zhilak yera to a passing acquaintance. The more common everyday affection vocabulary is the metaphor pair jalan atthirari anni and shekh ma shieraki anni.

Why is "moon of my life" gendered for women in Dothraki? The metaphor reflects Dothraki cosmology: the moon (jalan) is feminine in Dothraki belief — eternal, magical, present even when unseen. The sun (shekh) is masculine — visible by day, the hot center of activity. A man calling his beloved jalan atthirari anni casts her as the constant, the night-companion, the source of dreams. A woman calling her beloved shekh ma shieraki anni casts him as the heart of the day. The pairing is symmetric, not unequal.

Can same-sex Dothraki couples use these phrases? The phrases are not technically gender-locked — both jalan and shekh are nouns, not gendered pronouns. Two women could call each other jalan atthirari anni; two men could call each other shekh ma shieraki anni. The Dothraki of the books and show are not depicted with same-sex relationships explicitly, but the grammar accommodates them without strain.

Is "qoy qoyi" only for blood relatives, or also for spouses? Both — and more. Qoy qoyi is the bloodrider bond between a khal and his three closest warriors, but it also extends to spouses, lifelong friends, and adopted family. The literal "blood of my blood" expresses a commitment that goes beyond legal kinship. The bond is meant to last until death — choosing to call someone qoy qoyi is a serious declaration.

What's the Dothraki version of "we are family"? The closest equivalent is qoy qoyi vroz ("blood of my blood [going] forward") or simply anhasar ("ours"). Dothraki doesn't have a single word equivalent to English "family" because the khalasar structure treats every bonded member as kin. Anhasar mahrazhi — "our men" — can mean spouse, sons, brothers, bloodriders, all at once.

Are Dothraki wedding vows documented? Partially. The traditional Dothraki wedding has spoken vows that George R.R. Martin sketched in the books and Peterson expanded for the show. The most-quoted vow line is "mra qoy qoyi" — "in blood of my blood." The full vow varies by khalasar tradition; no single canonical text exists.

Related Reading

• Dothraki Tattoo Phrases: Warrior Words Worth Wearing
• How to Say 'I Love You' in Dothraki — Anha Zhilak Yera
• Fonas Chek: The Dothraki Farewell Explained

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