COMPARISON
Tengwar vs Dothraki.org
Dothraki.org is the official dictionary and grammar reference for David J. Peterson's language. Tengwar is the structured course that teaches it to you in order. Most learners end up using both.
The short answer
Dothraki.org is the official reference site for the language David J. Peterson created for HBO's Game of Thrones, maintained with the Language Creation Society. It hosts Peterson's own dictionary and grammar notes — the source of record for canon Dothraki.
Tengwar is a gamified Dothraki course — structured daily lessons, spaced repetition, and an AI tutor (Mithrandir) that draws on the same Peterson-sourced vocabulary but teaches it in a learning sequence, with grammar explained as you go.
One is a reference. The other is a course. A dictionary alone doesn't teach you to build a sentence; a course without a canon reference behind it risks drifting from what Peterson actually wrote.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Tengwar | Dothraki.org |
|---|---|---|
| Official Peterson-sourced vocabulary | Primary source | |
| Structured daily lessons | ||
| AI tutor for grammar questions | Mithrandir | |
| Spaced repetition review | ||
| XP, streaks, gamification | ||
| Dictionary lookup / search | Via AI chat | Primary use case |
| Grammar reference depth | Taught progressively | Full grammar notes |
| Also teaches Elvish & Klingon | ||
| Free tier | 4 free Dothraki lessons | Fully free |
| Price | $2.99/month or $22.99/year | Free |
When to use Dothraki.org
- You need to verify a specific word or grammar rule against the primary source
- You already know the basics and want to browse the full dictionary
- You want Peterson's own notes on a specific construction
When to choose Tengwar
- You're starting from zero and want a lesson sequence, not a dictionary to browse
- You want spaced repetition so vocabulary actually sticks
- You want an AI tutor to answer "why" questions about grammar on the spot
- You also want to learn Elvish or Klingon on the same subscription
The honest take
Dothraki.org isn't a competitor so much as the source Tengwar's own Dothraki lessons are built from — Peterson's dictionary and grammar notes are exactly what a vetted Dothraki course should trace back to. The difference is sequencing and practice: a reference site assumes you already know what to look up next, while a course tells you.
Most learners who take Dothraki seriously end up using both — Tengwar for the daily habit and grammar explanations, Dothraki.org as the reference when they want to double-check something against the source.
START WITH TENGWAR FREE
Four free Dothraki lessons plus access to Elvish and Klingon. No credit card required.
START LEARNING FREE →