# Na'vi/Texts

The publicly available texts in Naʼvi include short snippets and phrases released in interviews, a couple spoken samples of the language provided with transcriptions, two poems, and a page from the Naʼvi script of the film.

## Phrases

Following are publicly released samples of Naʼvi that were not used in the text of this Wikibook.
Fìskxawngìri tsapʼalute sängi oe.
"I apologise for this moron."
    fì-skxawng-ìritsapʼalutes‹äng›ioe this-moron-topapologymake‹pej?›I
Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì.
"These demons are forbidden here."
    fì-ay-vrrtepfì-tsengelukxanì this-pl-demonthis-placebeforbidden
Oeri ta peyä fahew akewong ontu teya längu.
"(Ugh,) my nose is full of his alien smell."
    oe-ritapo-yäfahewa-kewongontuteyal‹äng›u me-topfroms/he-gensmellattr-aliennosefullbe‹pej›
Tawsìp ngeyä lu sngeltseng.
"Your ship is a garbage scow." [translation from Klingon]
    taw-sìpngeyälusngel-tseng sky-shipyourbegarbage+place
Ayftxozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx!
"Happy Holidays to you all!"
    ay-ftxozäle-fpomay-nga-runì-wotx pl-holidayadj-well.beingpl-you-datadv-all
Mipa zìsìt lefpom ngaru!
"Happy New Year!"
    mip-azìsìtle-fpomnga-ru new-attryearadj-well.beingyou.sg-dat
Lìʼfya ngeyä sìltsan leiu nìtxan.
"Your (use of) language is very good!"
    lìʼ-fyangeyäsìltsanl‹ei›unì-txan speak?-wayyourgoodbe‹approb›adv-great
ʼAwvea ultxari ohengeyä, Nawma Saʼnok lrrtok siveiyi.
"May the Great Mother smile upon our first meeting."
    ʼawveaultxa-riohe-nga-yänawm-asaʼnoklrrtoks‹iv›‹ei›i firstmeeting-topI.form+you-gengreat-attrmothersmilemake‹sjv›‹approb›
Lu awngar aytele apxay a teri saʼu pivlltxe.
"We have a lot to talk about."
    luawnga-ruay+txelea-pxayateriay+tsa-ʼup‹iv›lltxe bewe.incl-datpl+matterattr-manysbrdaboutpl+that-thingspeak‹sjv›
Oeyä ikran slivu nga, tsakrr oeng ʼawsiteng mivakto.
"Be my banshee and let's ride together."
    oe-yäikransl‹iv›ungatsa-krroe+ngaʼaw-si-tengm‹iv›akto I-genbansheebecome‹sjv›youthat-timeI+youone-make-sameride‹sjv›
Tengkrr palulukan moene kxll sarmi, poltxe Neytiril aylìʼut a frakrr ʼok seyä layu oer.
"As the thanator charged towards us, Neytiri said something I will always remember."
    teng-krrpalulukanme-oe-nekxlls‹arm›i same-time(name)du-I-tochargemake‹past.ipfv›
    p‹ol›lltxeNeytiri-ìlay-lìʼu-itafra-krrʼokay+ts[e]-yäl‹ay›uoe-ru say‹pfv›(name)-ergpl-word-accsbrdall-timememorypl+it-genbe‹fut›I-dat

## Film script

A portion of the script of Jake, the human protagonist in the film Avatar, is visible in a short documentary on the making of the film. Three minutes in, there's a close-up of a page of Jake's Na'vi dialog, "Naʼvi Dialog for Jake—3-13-2007", reproduced here. Stress is marked by underlining. Since the dialog is Jake's, it is likely that some of the Naʼvi may be ungrammatical.
    Oel ngati kameie, ma Tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi ireiyo.
    I See you Brother, and thank you.
       oe-ìl nga-ti kam‹ei›e ma tsmuk-an ulte nga-ru s‹ei›i ireiyo I-ergyou-accSee‹approb›vocsibling-mascandyou-datmake‹approb›thanks
    Ngari hu Eywa saleu tirea, tokx ʼìʼawn slu Naʼviyä hapxì.
    Your spirit goes with Eywa, your body stays behind to become part of the People.
       nga-ri hu eywa salewtirea tokx ʼìʼawn slu naʼvi-yä hapxì you-topwithGaiaproceedspiritbodyremainbecomepeople-genpart
    Sìfmetokit emzolaʼu ohel.
    I have passed the tests.
       +tì-fmetok-it em-z‹ol›aʼu ohe-ìl pl+nomz-test-accover-come‹pfv›I.form-erg
    Ätxäle si tsnì livu oheru Uniltaron.
    I respectfully request the Dream Hunt.
       ätxäle si tsnì l‹iv›u ohe-ru unil-taron requestmakethatbe‹sjv›I.form-datdream-hunt
    Ma Eytukan, lu oeru aylìʼu frapor.
    Eytukan, I have something to say, to everyone.
       ma eytukan lu oe-ru ay-lìʼ-ʼu fra-po-ru voc(name)beI-datpl-say-thingevery-one-dat
    Aylìʼu na ayskxe mì teʼlan.
    The words are like stones in my heart.
       ay-lìʼ-ʼu na ay+tskxe mì+txeʼlan pl-say-thinglikepl+stonein+heart
    Eo ayoeng lu txana tìkawng.
    A great evil is upon us.
       eo ay-oe-nga lu txan-a tì-kawng beforepl-I-youbegreat-attrnomz-bad
    Sawtute zeraʼu fte fol Kelutralti skivaʼa.
    The Sky People [humans] are coming to destroy Hometree.
       +taw-tute z‹er›aʼu fte fo-ìl kelku+utral-ti sk‹iv›aʼa pl+sky-peoplecome‹ipfv›so.thatthey-erghome+tree-accdestroy‹sjv›
    Pìyähem fìtseng yeʼrìn.
    They will be here soon.
       p‹ìy›ähem fì-tsenge yeʼrìn arrive‹imm›this-placesoon
    Ayngari zene hivum, tx[...] (rest of line obscured)
    You have to leave, or you will die.
       ay-nga-ri zene h‹iv›um pl-you-topmustleave‹sjv›
    Ma Tsuʼtey te Ro[...]
    Tsuʼtey of the Rongloa, son of [...]
       ma tsuʼtey te voc(name)of [in names]
    Naʼviru [...]
    to the people [...] (handwritten)
       naʼvi-ru people-dat
Jake's speech near the end of the movie, which Tsu'tey translated, is as follows. It was cut in places for the timing of the film, so it does not completely follow the English:
    Fpoleʼ sawtutel ʼupxaret
    The sky people have sent us a message
    [san] Ayoeri tsat new
    tsun mivunge [sìk].
    that they can take whatever they want [and no-one can stop them].
    Slä awngal 'upxaret fpìye' for.
    But we will send them a message.
    Kämakto nìwin, ayngati spivule hufwel.
    You ride out [as] fast [as] the wind can carry you.
    Ayolo'ru alahe peng ziva'u.
    You tell the other clans to come.
    For peng syeraw Toruk Makto.
    You tell them toruk-makto calls [to them].
    Tswayon set oehu,
    You fly now, with me,
    ma smukan, ma smuke!
    brothers, sisters!
    sawtuter wìyintxu ayoeng
    and we will show the sky people
    ke tsun fo fìkem sivi
    [that] they cannot take whatever they want [cannot do this]
    fìtsenge
    [and that] this
    l(u) awngeyä!
    [this] is our [land]!
A few other lines of the film have been confirmed, including some which did not make it into the final cut:
    Grace: Tsun tivam. Aylìʼu ngian nì'it skepek lu.
    "Not bad. You sound a little formal."
    Tsuʼtey: Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì.
    "These demons are forbidden here."
    child: Txopu räʼä si, lu ketuwongo nìʼaw.
    "Don't be afraid, it's just some alien."
    ʼÌʼawn alìm!
    "Stay back!"
    Moʼat: Fìketuwongti oel stìyeftxaw.
    "I will look at this alien." (stìsyeftxaw would also be appropriate here)
    Yola krr, txana krr, ke tsranten.
    "It doesn't matter how long it takes."
    Pori zene kllfrivoʼ nga.
    "He is your responsibility."
    Eytukan: Tsampongut Tsuʼteyìl iveyk.
    "Tsuʼtey will lead the war party."
    chant: Srung si poeru, ma Eywa!
    "Help her, Gaea!"
    Moʼat: Tivìran po ayoekip.
    "Let her walk among us."
    Lu hasey.
    "It is finished."
There have been several attempts at working out the rest of the script. Some of these are summarized at LeanNavi.org here. They likely include numerous errors.

## Songs

Frommer translated four of Cameron's songs into Na'vi. The Hunting Song is in the next section; here are the other three.

### Weaving Song

Note that several words occur in their short-plural form.
    The rhythm of rain and sun, Tompayä kato, tsawkeyä kato, tompa 'rain', kato 'rhythm' tsawke 'sun' Of night and day,Trrä sì txonätrr day, txon night The rhythm of the years,S(ì) ayzìsìtä kato,zìsìt year And the beat of the hearts,Sì ʼekong teʼlanäʼekong a beat, txeʼlan heart Hearts of the PeopleTeʼlanä le-Naʼvi Fills me,Oeru teya si,teya full Fills me.Oeru teya si.   I weave the rhythmKatot täftxu oeltäftxu to weave In yellow and blue,Nìean nìrimean blue, rim yellow The rhythm of the years,Ayzìsìtä kato, The spiral of the lives,ʼÌheyu sìreyäʼìheyu a spiral, tìrey life Lives of the people,Sìreyä le-Naʼvi, Fills me,Oeru teya si, Fills me.Oeru teya si.

### Tree Song (Funeral Song)

This song appears in the movie. A fair amount of elision occurs, marked in parentheses.
    We are all seeds / Of the Great Tree Utralä (a)Nawm / ayrinaʼ l(u) ayoeng,  Whose strength is in our legsA peyä tìtxur mì hinam awngeyä Like the mighty trunks,N(a) aysangek afkeu, In our armsMì pun As sheltering branches,N(a) ayvul ahusawnu, In our eyesM(ì) aynar The blue-flowerNa seze Which unfolds to the sun.A ʼong ne tsawke. We are all seeds / Of the Great TreeUtralä (a)Nawm / ayrinaʼ l(u) ayoeng, Whose song is within us.A peyä tìrol m(ì) awnga.

### Spiral Song

    Music creates patterns Pamtseol ngop ayrenut  In the silence of the mindMì ronsemä tìfnu As weavers doTengfya ngop säftxuyul In the physical world.Mì hifkey. Chorus: We sing to SeeAwnga rol fte kivame We See to singKame fte rivol We sing our wayRerol tengkrr kerä Down the eight pathsÌlä fyaʼo avol To the center.Ne kxamtseng. The songs bind the thirteen spiralsAywayl yìm kifkeyä Of the solid worldʼÌheyut avomrr To the eight spirit pathsSìn tireafyaʼo avol Like the threads of a Songcord.Na waytelemä hìng. Chorus

## Spoken texts

There are four online recordings of Frommer speaking extended amounts of Naʼvi.

### Short dialog

* Zimmer, Benjamin (December 4, 2009). "Skxawng!". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/06/magazine/06FOB-onlanguage-t.html. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
Half-way down the article is a sound recording of a short conversation, with English subtitles. The Naʼvi is not documented; what follows likely contains some errors. Unintelligible segments are marked with ((double parentheses)).
    Oel hu Txewì trram naʼrìngit tarmok.
    Yesterday I was with Txewì in the forest
    Tsoleʼa syeptutet atsawl frato mì sìrey.
    and we saw the biggest Trapper I've ever seen.
    ((L))u fo l((e))hrrap
    Those things are dangerous.
    Tsun tutet tspivang ko
    They can kill a person, you know.
    Oe ((o))mum.
    I know.
    Nari soli ayoe [moe] fteke nìhawng livok.
    We were careful not to get too close.
Glossary:
Trram yesterday, naʼrìng a forest, tok to occupy (a place)
Tseʼa to see, syep to trap, tute a person, tsawl big, tìrey life
Hrrap danger, tspang to kill, omum to know
Nari si to pay attention, fteke lest, hawng excessive, lok approach

### Hunt Song

* BBC interview
In the 0818 broadcast, at time 3′30″, Frommer recites the second verse and chorus of the Hunt Song he translated for Cameron. The Naʼvi text is as follows:
    We are walking your way Terìran ayoe ayngane tìran to walk We are comingZeraʼuzaʼu to come We are singing your wayRerol ayoe aynganerol to sing So ChooseHa ftxeyftxey to choose Choose one among youʼAwpot set ftxey ayngal a l(u) ayngakipʼawpo an individual Who will feed the People.ʼAwpot a Naʼviru yomtìyìng.yom to eat, tìng to give   Chorus   Let my arrow strike trueOeyä swizaw nìngay tivakukswizaw an arrow, ngay true, takuk to strike Let my spear strike the heartOeyä tukrul txeʼlanit tivakuktukru a spear, txeʼlan a heart Let the truth strike my heartOeri tìngayìl txeʼlanit tivakuk Let my heart be true.Oeyä txeʼlan livu ngay.   You are fast and strongLu nga win sì txurwin fast, txur strong You are wiseLu nga txantslusamtxan much, tslam to understand I must be fast and strongLivu win sì txur / oe zene So only Only if I am worth of youHa n(ì)ʼaw Pxan livu txo nìʼaw oe ngarinìʼaw only, pxan worthy Will you feed the PeopleTsakrr nga Naʼviru yomtìyìng

### Public letter

* A public letter in Naʼvi (2010 Jan 20) using basic vocabulary, read aloud by Frommer and with English subtitles.
The Naʼvi is as follows. Stressed syllables are underlined.
| Ayeylanur oeyä sì eylanur lìʼfyayä leNaʼvi nìwotx: | To all my friends and friends of the Naʼvi language: ʼeylan a friend, lìʼfya a language (lit. 'way of speaking'), nìwotx all of |
| Oel ayngati kameie, ma oeyä eylan, ulte ayngaru seiyi irayo. | I See you, my friends, and I thank you. kame to "See", to look into and understand, irayo thanks |
| Fpoleʼ ayngal oer fìtxan nìftxavang a ʼupxaret stolawm oel. | I have heard the message you have sent me so passionately. fpeʼ to send, fìtxan so much (lit. 'this much'), nìftxavang passionately, ʼupxare a message, stawm to hear |
| Lìʼfyari leNaʼvi oel ʼefu ayngeyä tìyawnit. | I feel your love for the Naʼvi language. ʼefu to feel, tìyawne love (lit. 'belovedness') |
| Ulte omum oel futa tìfyawìntxuri oeyä perey aynga nìwotx. | And I know you are all waiting for my guidance. omum to know, tìfyawìntxu guidance, pey to wait |
| Spivaw oeti rutxe, ma oeyä eylan: | Please believe me, my friends. spaw believe, rutxe please |
| oe new nìtxan ayngaru fyawivìntxu. | I want very much to guide you. new to want, nìtxan much, fyawìntxu to guide |
| Slä nìawnomum, | But as you know, (nì-?-omum, not currently parsable) |
| zene oe ʼawsiteng tìkangkem sivi fohu | I must work together with those ʼawsiteng together, tìkankem si to work |
| a Uniltìrantokxit sì kifkeyit Eywaʼevengä zamolunge awngar. | who have brought us “Avatar” and the world of Pandora. unil-tìran-tokx an Avatar (lit. 'dream-walker body'), kifkey a world, Eywa-ʼeveng Pandora (lit. 'child of Eywa'), za-munge bring hither |
| Foru ʼupxaret oel fpoleʼ, | I have sent them a message, |
| slä vay set ke pamähängem kea tìʼeyng. | but up to now no answer has arrived. set now, pähem to arrive, tìʼeyng an answer |
| Nìaynga oe perey nìteng. | Like you, I too am waiting. nìteng similarly |
| Tìʼeyngit oel tolel a krr, | When I receive an answer, tel to receive |
| ayngaru payeng, | I will let you know, peng to tell |
| tsakrr payeʼun sweya fyaʼot | and I will then decide the best way peʼun to decide, swey best, optimal, fyaʼo a way |
| a zamivunge oel ayngar aylìʼut horentisì lìʼfyayä leNaʼvi. | to bring you the words and rules of Naʼvi. lìʼu a word, koren a rule, |
| Sìlpey oe, layu oeru yeʼrìn sìltsana fmawn a tsun oe ayngaru tivìng. | I hope I will soon have good news to give you. sìlpey to hope, yeʼrìn soon, sìltsan good, fmawn news, tìng to give |
| Aylìʼufa awngeyä ʼeylanä aʼewan Markusì ta Ngalwey . . . | In the words of our young friend Markus from Galway . . . ʼewan young |
| ʼIvong Naʼvi! | Let Naʼvi bloom! ʼong to bloom |
| Kìyevame ulte Eywa ngahu. | Goodbye for now, and may Eywa be with you. |
| Ta ʼeylan karyusì ayngeyä, Pawl. | Your friend and teacher, Paul. karyu a teacher |

### On this Night

* Eliyahu Ha-Naʼvi (2010 Mar 21)
Traditional questions for Passover Seder.
    Fìtxon na ton alahe nìwotx pelun ke lu teng?
    "Why is this night unlike all other nights?"
       fì-txonnaay+txona-lahenì-wotxpe-lunkeluteng this-nightlikepl-nightattr-otheradv-allwhich-reasonnotbesame
    Tonìri alahe, awngal yom hametsì-t, yom matsa-t, ke tsranten; fìtxon yom matsa-t nìʼaw.
    "Other nights, we may eat either leavened or unleavened bread; this night we eat only unleavened bread."
       ay+txon-ìria-laheawnga-ìl yomhametsì-ityom matsa-tketsranten pl-night-topattr-otherwe-ergeathametz-acceatmatzah-accnotmatter
       fì-txonyommatsa-tnì-ʼaw this-nighteatmatzahadv-one
    Tonìri alahe, awngal yom fkxenti lerìk nìwotx; fìtxon yom sat a lu syäʼä nìʼaw.
    "Other nights, we eat all manner of greens; this night we eat only those which are bitter."
       ton-ìrialaheawnga-ìlyomfkxen-tile-rìknìwotx nights-as.forotherwe-ergeatvegetable.food-accadj-leafall
       fìtxonyomay+tsa-italusyäʼänìʼaw tonighteatpl-that-accthatbebitteronly
    Tonìri alahe, awnga ke yemfpay si keng ʼawlo; fìtxon yemfpay si melo.
    "Other nights, we do not dip even once; this night we dip twice."
       ton-ìrialaheawngakeyem-f?-paysikengʼaw-lo nights-as.forotherwe.intrnotput-?-liquiddoevenone-time
       fìtxonyemfpaysime-lo tonightdipdotwo-time
    Tonìri alahe, awngal yom wutsot tengkrr hereyn nìpxim, tengkrr teruvon, ke tsranten; fìtxon yom tengkrr teruvon.
    "Other nights, we dine either sitting upright or reclining; this night we eat reclining."
       ton-ìrialaheawnga-ìlyomwutso-itteng-krrh‹er›eynnì-pxim nights-as.forotherwe-ergeatmeal-accsame-timesit‹ipfv›adv-erect
       teng-krrt‹er›uvonketsranten same-timelean‹ipfv›notmatter
       fìtxonyomteng-krrt‹er›uvon tonighteatwhilelean‹ipfv›
    Tonìri alahe, awngal yom wutsot nìfyaʼo letrrtrr; fìtxon yom nìʼeoio.
    "Other nights, we dine normally; this night we dine with special rites."
       tonìrialaheawnga-lyomwutso-itnì-fyaʼole-trr~trr nightsotherwe-ergeatmeal-accadv-wayadj-day~redup
       fìtxonyomnì-ʼeoio tonighteatadv-ceremony

### Earth Day

* Mipa ʼUpxare fpi Frapo mì Srr ʼRrtayä (2010, Aprin 22)
Ma oeyä eylan,
Fìtrrmì letsranten—Trr ʼRrtayä—new oe pivlltxe ayngaru san kaltxì sìk ulte tivìng ayngar lìʼut a tìʼefumì oeyä lu lor frato mì lìʼfya leNaʼvi: meoauniaea. Fìlìʼuä ral lu tìmeʼem sì tìrusey mì hifkey na Nawma Saʼnokä hapxì, ʼuo a fpi reyʼeng Eywaʼevengmì ʼRrtamì tsranten nìtxan awngaru nìwotx.
Ngaytxoa, nìawnomum ke lolu oer nìkeftxo mì soka srr ayskxom letam fte lìʼfyari awngeyä tìkangkem sivi. Slä lu oeru fmawno asìltsan: yeʼrìn ʼìyiʼa sänume a tsari kllfroʼ oe; mawkrr layeiu oer krr nìʼul fte ngivop aylìʼut sì tsayfnesänumvit a tsun frapor srung sivi fte nivume sì ziverok nìswey.
Tsakrrvay, ayngeyä tìmweypeyri irayo seiyi oe, ulte fìtrrä ftxozäri, sìlpey oe, ayngaru prrteʼ livu.
Kìyevame ulte Eywa ayngahu.
Ta Pawl
My friends,
On this important day—Earth Day—I want to say hello to you and present to you the word that, in my opinion, is the most beautiful in the Naʼvi language: meoauniaea. The meaning of this word is “harmony, living in the world as part of the Great Mother,” something that matters a lot to all of us for the sake of The Balance of Life on both Pandora and Earth.
My apologies: As you know, in recent days I have not had sufficient opportunity to work on our language. But I have some good news. My teaching responsibilities will soon end; after that I will have more time to create words and the kinds of lessons that can help everyone best learn and remember.
In the meantime, I thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoy today's celebration.
Goodbye and Eywa be with you.
From Paul

## Notes

* ↑ Lit., "There are to us many matters that about them (we) may speak."
* ↑ Not all the lines made it into the film; the "words are like stones" line, for example, was spoken in English.
* ↑ Jake would seem to be mispronouncing this.

## References

* 1 2 Ayres, Chris (December 12, 2009). "Na'vi talk down Klingon as the last word in alien-speak". The Times. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article6954138.ece. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
* ↑ Frommer, Paul (December 19, 2009). "Some highlights of Naʼvi". Language Log. Retrieved January 9, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
* ↑ "We Translate Your Phrases into Na'vi", UGO Movie Blog, December 23, 2009
* 1 2 3 An email
* ↑ Norm's greeting to Grace in Avatar
* ↑ "Calling All 'Avatar' Fanatics — How to Say 'I Love You' in Naʼvi", lemondrop.com, 2010 Jan 20
* ↑ Avatar the Movie: James Cameron's Avatar: The Movie Behind The Scenes: Making The Movie 2
* ↑ Wilhelm, Maria (2009). James Cameron's Avatar: A Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora. New York City: !t (HarperCollins). ISBN 0061896756. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
← Lexicon · Na'vi–English dictionary →