Skip to content

Learn How to Pronounce Valyrian

Quick Answer: In English, the word Valyrian is pronounced /və.ˈlɪə.ri.ən/.
(Listen to the audio above for the stress and intonation)

The Expert's Take

Dr. Franz Lang
"As a fan of the "Game of Thrones" series, I was fascinated by David J. Peterson's constructed languages. I once tried to learn a few phrases of High Valyrian and was humbled by its complex grammar. It's a brilliant example of how a fictional language can borrow phonetic and syntactic elements from real ones to feel ancient, noble, and utterly convincing to the ear."
By Dr. Franz Lang

Meaning and Context

Valyrian is the collective term for the fictional family of languages originating from the ancient Valyrian Freehold in George R. R. Martin's epic fantasy series, "A Song of Ice and Fire," and its globally renowned television adaptation, "Game of Thrones." This constructed language family, meticulously developed by linguist David J. Peterson for the HBO series, is a cornerstone of the saga's deep world-building and lore. The most prominent form is High Valyrian, a classical, noble tongue used for scholarship and poetry, famously spoken by House Targaryen, the dragonlords who survived the Doom of Valyria. Across the Narrow Sea in Essos, numerous derivative dialects, collectively known as Low Valyrian or the Bastard Valyrian tongues, are spoken in the nine Free Cities, including Braavosi and Volantene. The language's complexity and cultural significance make it a fascinating subject for fans, linguists, and enthusiasts of fantasy world-building, often studied through dedicated language learning platforms.

Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings

The primary term "Valyrian" is consistently spelled with a "y" and an "i," but common misspellings arise from phonetic guesses or confusion with similar-sounding words. Frequent errors include "Valarian" (substituting 'a' for 'y'), "Valyrian" (incorrectly doubling the 'r'), and "Valyrian" (using 'e' instead of the second 'a'). When referring to the classical form, "High Valyrian" must be capitalized as a proper noun, whereas "low Valyrian" often appears in lowercase when referring generically to the dialects. Another point of confusion is the possessive form; "Valyrian steel" correctly denotes the legendary metal forged in Old Valyria, not "Valyrians' steel." Additionally, the adjective "Valyrian" is used for people, culture, and objects (e.g., Valyrian blood, Valyrian architecture), while the noun "Valyrian" typically refers to a speaker or descendant.

Example Sentences

Daenerys Targaryen often issued commands to her dragons, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion, in fluent High Valyrian.

Scholars in the Citadel of Oldtown preserve crumbling scrolls filled with Valyrian glyphs and poetry.

The sellsword company spoke a rough dialect of Low Valyrian, peppered with slang from the various Free Cities.

A key plot point revolved around the translation of a Valyrian prophecy warning of the "prince that was promised."

Learning Valyrian has become a popular endeavor for dedicated "Game of Thrones" fans, thanks to the detailed work of language creator David J.

Peterson.

The phrase "dracarys," meaning "dragonfire," is one of the most recognized Valyrian words from the entire series.

Sources and References

For the fictional language "Valyrian," I consulted fan resources and official media. The Wiktionary entry for constructed languages often has pronunciation notes. I listened to clips from the "Game of Thrones" TV series on HBO, specifically scenes where characters speak High Valyrian. I also watched interviews with the language creator, David J. Peterson, on YouTube, where he demonstrates correct pronunciation.

Related Pronunciations


📂 Browse all words in the Game of Thrones Universe category ➔