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-ìri	tsapʼalute	s‹äng›i	oe
this-moron-top	apology	make‹pej?›	I

Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì.

"These demons are forbidden here."

fì-ay-vrrtep	fì-tsenge	lu	kxanì
this-pl-demon	this-place	be	forbidden

Oeri ta peyä fahew akewong ontu teya längu.

"(Ugh,) my nose is full of his alien smell."

oe-ri	ta	po-yä	fahew	a-kewong	ontu	teya	l‹äng›u
me-top	from	s/he-gen	smell	attr-alien	nose	full	be‹pej›

Tawsìp ngeyä lu sngeltseng.

"Your ship is a garbage scow." [translation from Klingon]

taw-sìp	ngeyä	lu	sngel-tseng
sky-ship	your	be	garbage+place

Ayftxozä lefpom ayngaru nìwotx!

"Happy Holidays to you all!"

ay-ftxozä	le-fpom	ay-nga-ru	nì-wotx
pl-holiday	adj-well.being	pl-you-dat	adv-all

Mipa zìsìt lefpom ngaru!

"Happy New Year!"

mip-a	zìsìt	le-fpom	nga-ru
new-attr	year	adj-well.being	you.sg-dat

Lìʼfya ngeyä sìltsan leiu nìtxan.

"Your (use of) language is very good!"

lìʼ-fya	ngeyä	sìltsan	l‹ei›u	nì-txan
speak?-way	your	good	be‹approb›	adv-great

ʼAwvea ultxari ohengeyä, Nawma Saʼnok lrrtok siveiyi.

"May the Great Mother smile upon our first meeting."

ʼawvea	ultxa-ri	ohe-nga-yä	nawm-a	saʼnok	lrrtok	s‹iv›‹ei›i
first	meeting-top	I.form+you-gen	great-attr	mother	smile	make‹sjv›‹approb›

Lu awngar aytele apxay a teri saʼu pivlltxe.

"We have a lot to talk about."

lu	awnga-ru	ay+txele	a-pxay	a	teri	ay+tsa-ʼu	p‹iv›lltxe
be	we.incl-dat	pl+matter	attr-many	sbrd	about	pl+that-thing	speak‹sjv›

Oeyä ikran slivu nga, tsakrr oeng ʼawsiteng mivakto.

"Be my banshee and let's ride together."

oe-yä	ikran	sl‹iv›u	nga	tsa-krr	oe+nga	ʼaw-si-teng	m‹iv›akto
I-gen	banshee	become‹sjv›	you	that-time	I+you	one-make-same	ride‹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-krr	palulukan	me-oe-ne	kxll	s‹arm›i
same-time	(name)	du-I-to	charge	make‹past.ipfv›

p‹ol›lltxe	Neytiri-ìl	ay-lìʼu-it	a	fra-krr	ʼok	ay+ts[e]-yä	l‹ay›u	oe-ru
say‹pfv›	(name)-erg	pl-word-acc	sbrd	all-time	memory	pl+it-gen	be‹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-erg	you-acc	See‹approb›	voc	sibling-masc	and	you-dat	make‹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	salew	tirea	tokx	ʼìʼawn	slu	naʼvi-yä	hapxì
you-top	with	Gaia	proceed	spirit	body	remain	become	people-gen	part

Sìfmetokit emzolaʼu ohel.

I have passed the tests.

+tì-fmetok-it	em-z‹ol›aʼu	ohe-ìl
pl+nomz-test-acc	over-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
request	make	that	be‹sjv›	I.form-dat	dream-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)	be	I-dat	pl-say-thing	every-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-thing	like	pl+stone	in+heart

Eo ayoeng lu txana tìkawng.

A great evil is upon us.

eo	ay-oe-nga	lu	txan-a	tì-kawng
before	pl-I-you	be	great-attr	nomz-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-people	come‹ipfv›	so.that	they-erg	home+tree-acc	destroy‹sjv›

Pìyähem fìtseng yeʼrìn.

They will be here soon.

p‹ìy›ähem	fì-tsenge	yeʼrìn
arrive‹imm›	this-place	soon

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-top	must	leave‹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 txonä		trr day, txon night
The rhythm of the years,		S(ì) ayzìsìtä kato,		zìsìt year
And the beat of the hearts,		Sì ʼekong teʼlanä		ʼekong a beat, txeʼlan heart
Hearts of the People		Teʼlanä le-Naʼvi
Fills me,		Oeru teya si,		teya full
Fills me.		Oeru teya si.
I weave the rhythm		Katot täftxu oel		täftxu to weave
In yellow and blue,		Nìean nìrim		ean blue, rim yellow
The rhythm of the years,		Ayzìsìtä kato,
The spiral of the lives,		ʼÌheyu sìreyä		ʼìheyu 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 legs		A peyä tìtxur mì hinam awngeyä
Like the mighty trunks,		N(a) aysangek afkeu,
In our arms		Mì pun
As sheltering branches,		N(a) ayvul ahusawnu,
In our eyes		M(ì) aynar
The blue-flower		Na seze
Which unfolds to the sun.		A ʼong ne tsawke.
We are all seeds / Of the Great Tree		Utralä (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 mind		Mì ronsemä tìfnu
As weavers do		Tengfya ngop säftxuyul
In the physical world.		Mì hifkey.
Chorus:
We sing to See		Awnga rol fte kivame
We See to sing		Kame fte rivol
We sing our way		Rerol tengkrr kerä
Down the eight paths		Ìlä fyaʼo avol
To the center.		Ne kxamtseng.
The songs bind the thirteen spirals		Aywayl yìm kifkeyä
Of the solid world		ʼÌheyut avomrr
To the eight spirit paths		Sìn 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 coming		Zeraʼu		zaʼu to come
We are singing your way		Rerol ayoe ayngane		rol to sing
So Choose		Ha ftxey		ftxey to choose
Choose one among you		ʼAwpot set ftxey ayngal a l(u) ayngakip		ʼawpo an individual
Who will feed the People.		ʼAwpot a Naʼviru yomtìyìng.		yom to eat, tìng to give
Chorus
Let my arrow strike true		Oeyä swizaw nìngay tivakuk		swizaw an arrow, ngay true, takuk to strike
Let my spear strike the heart		Oeyä tukrul txeʼlanit tivakuk		tukru a spear, txeʼlan a heart
Let the truth strike my heart		Oeri tìngayìl txeʼlanit tivakuk
Let my heart be true.		Oeyä txeʼlan livu ngay.
You are fast and strong		Lu nga win sì txur		win fast, txur strong
You are wise		Lu nga txantslusam		txan much, tslam to understand
I must be fast and strong		Livu win sì txur / oe zene
So only Only if I am worth of you		Ha n(ì)ʼaw Pxan livu txo nìʼaw oe ngari		nìʼaw only, pxan worthy
Will you feed the People		Tsakrr 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-txon	na	ay+txon	a-lahe	nì-wotx	pe-lun	ke	lu	teng
this-night	like	pl-night	attr-other	adv-all	which-reason	not	be	same

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-ìri	a-lahe	awnga-ìl	yom	hametsì-it	yom	matsa-t	ke	tsranten
pl-night-top	attr-other	we-erg	eat	hametz-acc	eat	matzah-acc	not	matter

fì-txon	yom	matsa-t	nì-ʼaw
this-night	eat	matzah	adv-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-ìri	alahe	awnga-ìl	yom	fkxen-ti	le-rìk	nìwotx
nights-as.for	other	we-erg	eat	vegetable.food-acc	adj-leaf	all

fìtxon	yom	ay+tsa-it	a	lu	syäʼä	nìʼaw
tonight	eat	pl-that-acc	that	be	bitter	only

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-ìri	alahe	awnga	ke	yem-f?-pay	si	keng	ʼaw-lo
nights-as.for	other	we.intr	not	put-?-liquid	do	even	one-time

fìtxon	yemfpay	si	me-lo
tonight	dip	do	two-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-ìri	alahe	awnga-ìl	yom	wutso-it	teng-krr	h‹er›eyn	nì-pxim
nights-as.for	other	we-erg	eat	meal-acc	same-time	sit‹ipfv›	adv-erect

teng-krr	t‹er›uvon	ke	tsranten
same-time	lean‹ipfv›	not	matter

fìtxon	yom	teng-krr	t‹er›uvon
tonight	eat	while	lean‹ipfv›

Tonìri alahe, awngal yom wutsot nìfyaʼo letrrtrr; fìtxon yom nìʼeoio.

"Other nights, we dine normally; this night we dine with special rites."

tonìri	alahe	awnga-l	yom	wutso-it	nì-fyaʼo	le-trr~trr
nights	other	we-erg	eat	meal-acc	adv-way	adj-day~redup

fìtxon	yom	nì-ʼeoio
tonight	eat	adv-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