How to Say Goodbye in Elvish: Namárië, Novaer, and More
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Quick Answer: Quenya's 'Namárië' (nah-MAH-ree-eh) and Sindarin's 'Novaer' (no-VY-er) both translate to 'be well'/'farewell.' Namárië is the more iconic of the two — it's what Galadriel says as the Fellowship departs, and the title of Tolkien's longest published Elvish poem.
The direct answer: In Quenya, say Namárië (nah-MAH-ree-eh). In Sindarin, say Novaer (no-VY-er). Both mean "be well" or "farewell" — but they carry very different weight depending on context.
Namárië — The Quenya Farewell
Namárië is the most famous word in all of Tolkien's Elvish languages. Galadriel sings it as the Fellowship's boats draw away from Lothlórien, and the full poem of the same name follows — the last Quenya Frodo hears in Middle-earth.
Pronunciation: nah-MAH-ree-eh (four syllables; stress on the second)
Root: ná márië — "be well" (Tolkien's own gloss, in The Road Goes Ever On; it is not nai plus a word for "good")
Register: Formal, ceremonial, deeply felt
The Full Namárië Poem
Namárië is also the title of the longest Elvish poem Tolkien ever published. It appears in full in The Fellowship of the Ring when Galadriel sings farewell. The opening lines:
Ai! Laurië lantar lassi súrinen,
Yéni únótimë ve rámar aldaron!"Ah! Like gold fall the leaves in the wind,
Long years numberless as the wings of trees!"
And the final, devastating lines:
Namárië! Nai hiruvalyë Valimar.
Nai elyë hiruva. Namárië!"Farewell! Maybe you shall find Valimar.
Maybe even you shall find it. Farewell!"
The repeated nai (maybe) expresses hope that cannot be certain — Galadriel cannot promise reunion. She can only hope.
Novaer — The Sindarin Goodbye
"Mae govannen" — want to actually speak Elvish?
Try It Free →Novaer is the everyday Sindarin farewell — less ceremonial than Namárië, appropriate for daily leave-taking between friends or companions.
Pronunciation: NO-vaer (two syllables; stress on the first)
Root: no vaer — "be good/well" (maer "good," soft-mutated)
Register: Informal to neutral
Status: Neo-Sindarin. Tolkien never wrote novaer; it is a modern reconstruction built from his attested pieces, and it is the form the Elvish-speaking community has settled on.
Novaer, mellon nín. — "Farewell, my friend."
This is the goodbye Elves would use when parting after a meal, a journey, or a meeting — the Sindarin equivalent of "take care" or "safe travels."
More Elvish Farewells by Situation
Casual Goodbye
Sindarin: Novaer — farewell, be well
Quenya: Namárië — farewell (also works casually despite formal connotation)
"Safe travels"
Sindarin: Calo anor na ven — "may the sun shine on your road" (Neo-Sindarin, not from Tolkien)
Quenya: Á vala Manwë! — "may Manwë order it!" (attested; a plea that the Vala arrange things well, not a blessing laid on a person)
"Goodbye, my friend"
Sindarin: Novaer, mellon nín — farewell, my friend
Quenya: Namárië, meldonya — farewell, my friend (Quenya takes the possessive suffix -nya; the Sindarin nín must never be dropped into a Quenya phrase)
"Until we meet again"
Tolkien wrote no phrase for this in either language. Two Neo-Elvish constructions circulate — Sindarin Tenna' telwan san ve and Quenya Tenn' enomentielva, "until our meeting again" — and both are modern, so use them with that caveat rather than as quotations from the books.
Final, permanent farewell
Sindarin: Cuio vae — "live well" (Neo-Sindarin)
Quenya: Nai hiruvalyë Valimar — "maybe thou shalt find Valimar" (attested, from Namárië; Valimar is the city of the Valar, not Valinor as a whole — used when parting may be for an age)
Goodbye in Tolkien's Farewell Scenes
The great farewell scenes in The Lord of the Rings use language with extraordinary precision:
The Grey Havens: Frodo sails West. Tolkien does not give us an Elvish farewell here — only the fading of the white ship into the sea. The silence is its own goodbye.
Lothlórien: Galadriel's Namárië is the model farewell — ceremonial, heartfelt, not certain of reunion.
The Fellowship's breaking: No formal Elvish goodbye is given. The departure is abrupt, violent. Tolkien understood that the hardest goodbyes are the unspoken ones.
Which Should You Use?
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| Casual farewell to a friend | Novaer (Sindarin) |
| Emotional, meaningful goodbye | Namárië (Quenya) |
| Wishing someone safe travel | Calo anor na ven (Sindarin) |
| Final farewell, may not meet again | Nai hiruvalyë Valimar (Quenya) |
| Short, warm goodbye | Novaer, mellon (Sindarin) |
Hear the Words
The Elvish Translator can help you construct a complete farewell phrase — "goodbye, my love," "farewell until the stars meet again" — with full pronunciation guide and Tengwar rendering.
Namárië. Whatever road lies ahead — may you find what you are looking for.
People Also Ask
How do you say goodbye in Elvish? In Quenya, goodbye is 'Namárië' (nah-MAH-ree-eh), meaning 'be well' or 'farewell.' In Sindarin, the equivalent is 'Novaer' (no-VY-er), also meaning 'be well' or 'fare well.' Galadriel says Namárië to the departing Fellowship, and it is the title of the longest Elvish poem Tolkien ever published.
What does Namárië mean in Elvish? Namárië is a Quenya farewell meaning 'be well' or 'farewell.' It comes from 'ná márië' — literally 'be well,' which is Tolkien's own gloss in The Road Goes Ever On. It carries deep emotional weight in Tolkien's world — Galadriel sings it as the Fellowship leaves Lothlórien, and it is the title of the longest and most complete Elvish poem Tolkien published.
What is Novaer in Sindarin? Novaer is the Sindarin equivalent of farewell, meaning 'be well' or 'go well.' It comes from 'no vaer' — 'be good/well.' It is Neo-Sindarin — a modern reconstruction rather than a word Tolkien wrote — and it is the form normally used for informal farewells.
How do you say goodbye forever in Elvish? Tolkien wrote no formal 'goodbye forever.' The closest attested line is 'Nai hiruvalyë Valimar' — 'maybe thou shalt find Valimar' — which Galadriel uses in Namárië for a parting that may last an age. Neo-Sindarin 'Cuio vae' (live well) is often used the same way, but it is a modern coinage rather than Tolkien's.
Related Reading
- How to Say Beautiful in Elvish (Sindarin & Quenya)
- How to Say Friend in Elvish: Mellon, Nildo & the Door of Moria
- How to Say Happy Birthday in Elvish (Sindarin & Quenya)
- How to Say Sorry in Elvish (Quenya & Sindarin) — Apologies & Regret
- How to Say Hope in Elvish: Estel, Amdir, and the Two Kinds of Hope
- Lord of the Rings Elvish Phrases: 15 Famous Lines with Translations
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People Also Ask
How do you say goodbye in Elvish?
In Quenya, goodbye is 'Namárië' (nah-MAH-ree-eh), meaning 'be well' or 'farewell.' In Sindarin, the equivalent is 'Novaer' (no-VY-er), also meaning 'be well' or 'fare well.' Galadriel says Namárië to the departing Fellowship, and it is the title of the longest Elvish poem Tolkien ever published.
What does Namárië mean in Elvish?
Namárië is a Quenya farewell meaning 'be well' or 'farewell.' It comes from 'ná márië' — literally 'be well,' which is Tolkien's own gloss in The Road Goes Ever On. It carries deep emotional weight in Tolkien's world — Galadriel sings it as the Fellowship leaves Lothlórien, and it is the title of the longest and most complete Elvish poem Tolkien published.
What is Novaer in Sindarin?
Novaer is the Sindarin equivalent of farewell, meaning 'be well' or 'go well.' It comes from 'no vaer' — 'be good/well.' It is Neo-Sindarin — a modern reconstruction rather than a word Tolkien wrote — and it is the form normally used for informal farewells.
How do you say goodbye forever in Elvish?
Tolkien wrote no formal 'goodbye forever.' The closest attested line is 'Nai hiruvalyë Valimar' — 'maybe thou shalt find Valimar' — which Galadriel uses in Namárië for a parting that may last an age. Neo-Sindarin 'Cuio vae' (live well) is often used the same way, but it is a modern coinage rather than Tolkien's.
