The Na'vi language is the constructed language of the indigenous Na'vi used in the Avatar film and games. It was created by Paul Frommer, a professor at the Marshall School of Business with a doctorate in linguistics. He designed the language according to fit it to some of James Cameron's ideas of how the language should sound. Beside this, the only constraint was that it had to be learnable and pronouncable by the actors.
The Na'vi have a tribal communal culture. They have no written language. Their history is passed down through stories. Humans, in order to document it, use most English alphabet letters, plus two diacritics (ä, ì), three ejectives (px, tx, kx), and an apostrophe as a glottal stop.
To learn the language please refer to: Learnnavi.org
English → Na'vi
A
* across - ka
* again - nìmun
* agree - mllte
* alien - ketuwong, kewong
* alien (non-Na'vi) - faketuan
* allow - tung
* almost - stum
* alone - nì'awtu
* among - kip
* ancestor - pizayu
* animal, beast - ioang
* apology - tsap'alute
* arm - pxun
* arrive - pähem
* arrow - swizav
* art - tseo
* as (i.e: same way as) - tengfya
* ask - pawn
* attack - 'eko
* avatar (dreamwalker body) - uniltìrantokx
* awake - txen
* away (direction) - neto
* away (position) - mìso
B
* baby carrier/sling - iveh k'nivi s'di
* back (direction) - ne'ìm
* bad, evil - kawng
* badge - pätsì
* be at, occupy a space - tok
* be responsible - Kllfrio'
* beat (rhythmic) - 'ekong
* become - slu
* beetle larva(e) - teylu
* before, in front of - eo
* begin, start - sngä'i
* beginning, start time - sngä'ikkr
* bind - yìm
* blue - ean
* Blue Flute Clan - Omaticaya
* body - tokxn
* bond (neural connection) - Tsaheylu
* boom - kxangngang
* bow and arrow - tsko swizaw
* bow - tsko
* brain - eltu
* brainworm - eltungawng
* branch (of a tree) - vul
* brave - tsteu
* bring - zamunge
* brother - tsmukan
* burn, consume - nekx
* but - slä
* butt txìm
* by, via, following - ìla
C
* call - syaw
* calm - mawey
* can, be able - tsun
* captive - spe'etu
* capture - spe'e
* center (place in the middle) - kxamtseng
* challenge (ceremonial) - fpeio
* change - latem
* child - 'eveng
* choose - fxtey
* clan - olo'
* clan leader - olo'eyktan
* clear, certain - law
* clever (thing) - sìlronsem
* close - lok
* colleague - lertu
* come - za'u
* continually - nìtut
* cord - telem
* create - ngop
* creature - swirä
* cut - mun'i
D
* daddy - sempu
* dance - sreu
* danger - hrrap
* dangerous - lehrrap
* daughter - 'ite
* day - trr
* dead - kerusey
* demon - vrrtep
* destroy - ska'a
* die - terkup
* dig up - kllkulat
* dim (of a person) - snumìna
* dinner, served meal - wutso
* Direhorse - pa'li
* dive - tawng
* do not (negative) - rä'ä
* do, make - si
* doctor - toktor
* done, finished - hasey
* down - kllte
* dream - unil
* Dream Hunt - Uniltaron
* dreamwalker (avatar) - uniltìranyu
* drive out - kurakx
* drum (made of skin) - au
* duck - tawng
E
* ear - mikyun
* easily - nìftue
* easy - ftue
* eat - yom
* elbow - pxuntil
* English language - 'ìnglìsì
* enough - nìtam
* enter - fpxäkìm
* everyone - frapo
* everything - fra'u
* evil - tìkawng
* examine - steftxaw
* example - tìkenong
* eye - nari
* eyes (two) - menari
F
* false - tsleng
* far away, at a distance - alìm
* fast - nìwin
* father - sempul
* fear - txopu
* feed - yomtìng
* female (person) - tutee
* finger - zekwä
* fire - txep
* first - 'awve
* first - nì'awve
* fly - tswayon
* for the sake of - fpi
* forbidden - kxanì
* forest - na'rìng
* forgiveness - txoa
* four - tsìng
* fresh (food) - pxausul
* from above - ta'em
* from (direction) - ftu
* from (various uses) - ta
* full - teya
* funny - hiyìk
G
* get down! (to the ground) - ne kllte!
* give - tìng
* go - käì
* good - sìltsan
* good bye, see you again soon - kìyevame
* good bye, Eywa be with you - Eywa ngahu
* Got it, I understand - tslolam
* grab - niä
* grant - teswotìng
* great leonpteryx, last shadow - toruk
* great, much, many (quantity) - txan
* great, noble - nawm
* ground - kllte
* group of pople, party - pongu
* guide - fyaxwìntxu
* gunship - kunsìp
H
* halt - txey
* he - poan
* he, she - po
* heart - txe'lan
* hello - kaltxì
* help, assistance - srung
* hexapede, hexapod - Yerik
* hold off, suspend action - fpak
* home - kelku
* Hometree - Kelutrel
* honor - meuia
* hot - som
* how (conjunction) - fyape
* how (adjective) - peyfa
* hunt - taron
* hunter - taronyu
I
* I - oe
* if - txo
* if not, or else - txokefyaw
* in - mì
* insanity - keye'ung
* interpret - ralpeng
J
* joint, hinge - til
K
* kid, child - 'evi
* kill - tspang
* knee - kinamtil
* know - omun
L
* land - atxkxe
* large - apxa
* lead - eyk
* leader - eyktan
* learn' - nume
* leave, depart - hum
* leave, abandon - txìng
* leg - kinam
* level - 'engeng
* life - tìrey
* light - atan
* like us - Nìayoeg
* like, as - na
* lip - seyri
* listen - tìng mikyun
* listen, pay attention, quit goofing off - eltu si
* life - rey
* live, dwell - kelku si
* long (period of time) - yol
* longer (time) - nulkrr
* look - tìng nari
* look at - nìn
M
* male (person) - tutean
* many - pxay
* mated - muntxa
* matriarch - Tshahìk
* matter - txele
* matter, be of importance - tsranten
* meaning - ral
* medusa (animal) - fpxafaw
* meeting - ultxa
* message - 'upxare
* middle, midpoint - kxam
* mighty - fkeu
* mind - ronsem
* model, represent, exemplify - kenong
* moment - swaw
* mommy - sa'nu
* more - nì'ul
* moron - skxawng
* mother - sa'nok
* mountain banshee - ikran
* move, shift position - rikx
* much - nìtxan
* music - pamtseo
* must - zene
N
* need - kin
* need - tìkin
* never - kawkrr
* news, something to report - fmawm
* night - txon
* no - kehe
* no (before a noun) - kea
* no one - kawtu
* nose - ontu
* not - ke
* nothing - ke'u
* now - set
O
* offence, insult - zoplo
* one - fko
* one number - 'aw
* one (person - 'awpo
* only - nì'aw
* or - fu
* other - lahe
* other one (person or thing) - lapo
* outside - wrrpa
P
* part - hapxì
* pass (a test) - emza'u
* passionately, with all heart - nìftxavang
* path, way - fya'o
* pattern - renu
* peel - fkarut
* People (the People: name for themselves) - Na'vi
* perhaps, maybe - kxawm
* person - tute
* place - tseng(e)
* Plant species - Eyaye
* please - rutxe
* poison - txum
* pretty - sevin
* promise (a thing to someone) - pänutìng
* proper, fair, right - muiä
* protect, shelter hawnu
* protection - tìhawnu
* pull - za'ärìp
Q
* quiet ("be quiet!") - fnu
R
* rain - tompa
* ready - alaksì
* release, let go - lonu
* remain, stay - 'ì'awn
* remembrance - 'ok
* request - ätxäle
* rhythm - kato
* ride - makto
* ride out - kämaktao
* rock, stone - tskxe
* run - tul
S
* sacred - swok
* sacred place - swotu
* safe place, refuge - zongteng
* save - zong
* saying (quote) - san
* see (physical sense) - tse'a
* See (spiritual sense) - kame
* seed - rina'
* Seeds of the great tree - atrokirina'
* seem, appear - lam
* send - fpe'
* service - kìte'en
* seven - kinä
* sharp - pxi
* she - poe
* show - wintxu
* sibling - tsmuk, tsmuktu
* sign, omen - aungia
* sing - rol
* sister - tsmuke
* sixteen - vofu
* sky - taw
* Sky person - Tawtute
* Slinger - Lenay'ga
* small - hì'i
* smell - faheu
* smile - lrrtok
* so (or "in that case") - ha
* so that - fte
* so that not - fteke
* son - 'itan
* song - tìrol, way
* songchord - waytelem
* soon - ye'rin
* sound - pam
* speak - plltxe
* spear - tukru
* species of fruit or vegetable - ki'ong, kxener
* spin - kim
* spiral - 'iheyu
* spirit - tirea
* spirit animal - tireaioang
* spirit path - tireafya'o
* spread, proliferate - virä
* stand - kllkxem
* star - tanhì
* stingbat - riti
* stop - ftang
* stopping - tìftang
* straight - yey
* strength - tìtxur
* strike - takuk
* stringed instrument - i'en
* strong - txur
* study - ftia
* sturmbeest - talioang
* suffice - tam
* sun - tsawke
T
* tail - kxetse
* take, bring - munge
* take/consume time - krrnekx
* teacher - karyu
* teaching, instruction - sänume
* tell - peng
* territory - kllpxìltu
* test - fmetok, tìfmetok
* than - to
* Thanator - palulukan
* thank you - irayo
* that - tsnì
* that (action) - tsakem
* that (as object) - tsat
* that (person) - tsatu
* then, at that time - tsakrr
* there, that place - tsatseng
* they - ayfo, fo
* they (those two) - mefo
* thirthy-two - tsìvol
* this (action) - fikem
* this (thing) fi'u
* this one (person or thing) - fipo
* this way, like this - fifya
* this here, this place - fitseng(e)
* thread - kìng
* Thundering Rocks, Stairway to Heaven, Hallelujah Mountaints (floating mountains) - Iknimaya
* time - krr
* to (direction) - ne
* to the others - aylaru
* together - 'awsiteng
* too - nìhawng
* touch - 'ampi
* track, lock up - sutx
* training, exercise - tskxekeng
* tree - utral
* Tree of Voices - Utral Aymokriyä
* true - ngay
* truly - nìngay
* trunk (of a tree) - tangek
* truth - tìngay
* try - fmi
* turn - mìn
* two - mune
U
* understand - tslam
* unfold, blossom - 'ong
* unquote - sìk
V
* valid - kangay
* viperwolf - nantang
* vision - äie
* voice - mokri
W
* wait - pey
* walk - tìran
* want - neu
* war - tsam
* war party - tsampongu
* warrior - tsamsiyu
* wash - yur
* watch out, be careful - nari si
* we (exclusive) - ayoe
* we (inclusive) - ayoeng
* we; two (exclusive) - ayoeng
* we; two (inclusive) - moe
* weak - meyp
* weave - täftxu
* weaver - täftxuyu
* well - nìltsan
* well-being, peace - fpom
* what (thing) - 'upe
* what (action) - kempe
* what (before a noun) - pe
* when - krrpe, pehrr
* where (adjective) - peseng
* where (adjective) - tsengpe
* which, that - a
* while (same time as) - tengkrr
* who - pesu, tupe
* why - lumpe, pelun
* wind - hufwe
* wing - tsyal
* wise - txantslusam
* with (accompaniment) hu
* with (by means of) - fa
* word - lì'u
* World spirit guiding force and deity; Eywa - Eywa
* world (physical) - kifkey
* worm - ngawng
* worst - 'e'al
* worthy - pxan
Y
* year - zìzìt
* yellow - rim
* yes - srane
* you - aynga, nga
Na'vi - English
* 'ampi - Touch
* mawe - Calm
* 'e'al - Worst
* 'eko - Attack
* 'ekong - Beat (rythmic)
* 'engeng - Level
* 'ì'awn - Remain, stay
* 'ìheyu - Spiral
* 'it - Bit, small amount
* 'ok - Remembrance
* 'ong - Unfold, blossom
* 'upxare - Message
* äie - Vision
* alaksi - Ready
* apxa - Large
* atan - Light
* ätxäle - Request
* atxkxe - Land
* au - Drum (made of skin)
* aungia - Sign, omen
* ean - Blue
* emza'u - Pass (a test)
* eyk - Lead
o eyktan - Leader
* Eywa ngahu - Good-bye, Eywa be with you
* faheu - Smell
* fkarut - Peel
* fkeu - Mighty
* fmawn - News, something to report
* fmetok - Test
* fmi - Try
* fnu - Quiet (be quiet)
* fpak - Hold off, suspend action
* fpe' - Send
* fpeio - Challenge (ceremonial)
* fpom - Well being; peace
* fpi - For the sake of
* fa - With (by means of)
* Zamuncko - Well done
* kaltxì - Hello
* rutxe - Please
* irayo - Thanks
Adverbs
* alìm - Far away, at a distance
* eo - Before, in front of
Pronouns
Personal
* a - Which, that
* aylaru - To the others
Pronoun sing. dual trial plural
1st person, exclusive oe moe pxoe ayoe
1st person, inclusive '-' oeng pxoan ayoeng
2nd person nga menga pxoang aynga
3rd person po mefo pxfo ayfo
The deferential forms of "I" and "you" are ohe and ngenga. Possessive forms include ngeyä (your) and peyä (her/his)."He" and "she" can optionally be differentiated as poan(He) and poé(She)
Names and terms
* Eywa - "World spirit" – guiding force and deity
* Amhul - Child's name
* Änsìt - Child's name
* Ralu - child’s name
* faketuan - Alien (i.e. non-Na’vi)
* fpeio - challenge (ceremonial)
* Uniltaron - Dream Hunt
* tireafya’o - spirit path
* tireaioang - spirit animal
* Tsaheylu - bond (neural connection)
* Tsahìk - matriarch
* tsawke - sun
* teylu - beetle larva(e)
* Tawtute - Sky Person
* olo’eyktan - Clan leader
* Omaticaya - Blue Flute Clan
* uniltìrantokx - "dreamwalker body"; avatar
* Iknimaya - Thundering rocks, Stairway to Heaven (Hallelujah Mountains)
Animals and plants
* ioang - animal, beast
* nantang - Viperwolf
* fpxafaw - Medusa
* Eyaye - Warbonnet
* eltungawng - brainworm
* Pa'li - Direhorse
* Angtsik - Hammerhead Titanothere
* Yerik - Hexapede
* Toruk - "last shadow"; Great Leonopteryx
* Ikran - Mountain Banshee
* Lenay'ga - Slinger
* atokirina’ - seeds of the great tree
* palulukan - "Dry Mouth Bringer of Fear"; Thanator
* utral - tree
* Utral Aymokriyä - Tree of Voices
* Kelutrel - Hometree (tree for living in)
Loans
* 'ìnglìsì - English language
* kunsìp - gunship
* toktor - doctor
Body
* til - joint, hinge
* kinam - leg
o kinamtil - leg-joint, knee
* pxun - arm
o pxuntil - arm-joint, elbow
* kxetse - tail
* zekwä - finger
* tsyal - wing
* txìm - butt, rear end
* nari - eye
o menari - eyes (two)
* mikyun - ear
* ontu - nose
* seyri - lip
* eltu - Brain
* eltu si - Pay attention, quit goofing off
Note: The verb tìng "give" is used for senses; for example tìm mikyun "give ear, listen"
Family
* olo’ - clan
* ’eveng - child
o ’evi - kid (affectionate form of “child”)
* ’itan - son
* ’ite - daughter
* sempul - father
o sempu - daddy
* sa’nok - mother
o sa’nu - mommy
* tsmukan - brother
* tsmuke - sister
Sentences
"Hello, how are you?"
Kaltxì. Nga-ru lu fpom srak?
Greetings. To-you be well.being (question marker)
"It’s a pleasure to be able to chat with you in Na’vi"
Tsun oe nga-hu nì-Na’vi pivängkxo a fì-’u oe-ru prrte’ lu
be.able I you-with ADV-Na’vi pleasure? that this-thing to me speak[1] be
"I apologise for this moron"
Fì-skxawng-ìri tsap’alute s<eng>i oe
this-moron-for apology do<?> I
"These demons are forbidden here"
F-ay-vrrtep fì-tsenge lu kxanì
this-PL-demon this-place be forbidden
"Your alien smell fills my nose"
Oe-ri ta ngeyä faheu akewong ontu teya längu
me-TOP from you-GEN smell alien[2] nose full is-DISTASTE
"I See you" (a greeting) (Means to see into someone, refers to their soul, *understanding*)[3]
Oe-l nga-ti kam<ei>e
I-ERG you-ACC See<LAUD>
