Corpus

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This is the canon of known good sentences in Na'vi with glosses, given out in interviews with Dr. Frommer.

Text Corpus

Activist Survival Guide

Longer passages of continuous Na'vi text can be found in the book released for the film, James Cameron's Avatar: a Confidential Report on the Biological and Social History of Pandora, an Activist Survival Guide HarperCollins Books, 2009.

Science Magazine

From Science Magazine (subscription, I'm afraid; retrieved Dec 21 2009). They asked for the word for "science." Frommer replied:

tìftia kifkeyä
NMLZ-study world-GEN
the study of the physical world.

Language Log Blog Post

From his Language Log guest blog post (Dec 19 2009).

Oeri ta peyä fahew akewong ontu teya längu.
1-TOP from 3.POSS smell ATTR-alien nose full be-PEJ
My nose is full of his alien smell.

In the comments:

Tewti, ma Prrton! Plltxe nga nìltsan!
wow VOC Prrton speak you well
Wow, Prrton! You speak well!

Vanity Fair

Brushing up on the Language of Avatar (Dec 1 2009)

Kaltxì. Ngaru lu fpom srak?
Hello you-DAT be well-being Q
Hello, how are you?

Times Online

interview (December 12 2009)

Tsun oe ngahu nìNa'vi pivängkxo a fì'u oeru prrte' lu
able to 1 2-with ADV-Na'vi chat-SBJV that this.thing 1-DAT pleasure be
It's a pleasure to be able to chat with you in Na'vi.
Fìskxawngìri tsap'alute sengi oe
this-idiot-TOP apology do-PEJ 1
I apologise for this moron.
Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì
this-PL-demon this-place be forbidden
These demons are forbidden here

UGO Movie Blog

interview (Dec 14 2009)

Oel ngati kameie
1-A 2-P see-LAUD
I see you.

From Letter

(Added Dec 22 2009)

Sent out by Dr. Frommer to his many correspondents interested in the language. He signed off with:

Kìyevame ulte Eywa ngahu.
goodbye and Eywa 2-with
See you again, and may Eywa be with you.

UGO Movie Blog (Twitter Questions)

(Added Dec 23 2009)

The interviewer at UGO asked for submissions from readers for Dr. Frommer to translate, We Translate your Phrases into Na'vi.

Txo new nga rivey, oehu!
if want 2 live-SBJV 1-with
Come with me if you want to live.
Tawsìp ngeyä lu sngeltseng.
sky-ship 2-GEN be garbage-dump
Your ship is a garbage scow. (lit "garbage dump")
Ayftxozä Lefpom ta UGO!
PL-holiday ADJ-well.being from UGO
Happy Holidays from UGO!

Out of Office AutoReply

(Added Dec 27 2009)

The sign-off to an Out of Office AutoReply used by Frommer during semester break.

Ayftozä [sic!] lefpom ayngaru nìwotx!
PL-holiday ADJ-well.being PL-2-DAT ADV-all/complete
Happy Holidays to You All!

MSNBC

(Added Dec 31 2009)

MSNBC Cosmic Log interview.

Neytiri herahaw.
Neytiri is sleeping.
Neytiril yerikit tolaron.
Neytiri hunted a hexapede.

Behind the Scenes

(Added Jan 17 2010)

From a Fox-authorized video on YouTube, Avatar The Movie James Cameron Avatar The Movie Behind The Scenes Making The Movie 2. There's a brief video close-up of some of Jake's Na'vi dialog, "Na'vi Dialog for Jake - 3-13-2007." The stress accent is marked with the underline. See also this still-frame image from the video. See also this forum thread for discussion. Since the dialog is Jake's, there is some concern the sentences may not be perfectly grammatical.

Oel ngati kameie, ma Tsmukan, ulte ngaru seiyi ireiyo. Ngari hu Eywa saleu tirea, tokx'awn slu Na'viyä hapxì.
I See you Brother, and thank you. Your spirit goes with Eywa, your body stays behind to become part of the People.
Sìfmetokit emzola'u ohel. Ätxäle si tsnì livu oheru Uniltaron.
I have passed the tests. I respectfully request the Dream Hunt.
Ma Eytukan, lu oeru aylì'u frapor. Aylì'u na ayskxe mì te'lan.
Eytukan, I have something to say, to everyone. The words are like stones in my heart.
Eo ayoeng lu txana tìkawng. Sawtute zera'u fte fol Kelutralti skiva'a. Pìhem fìtseng ye'rìn.
A great evil is upon us. The Sky People are coming to destroy Hometree. They will be here soon.
Ayngari zene hivum, tx[o?...] ... (rest of line obscured)
You have to leave, or you will die. (printed in script)
You must leave, or [...] (handwritten above Na'vi text, partially obscured)
Ma Tsu'tey te Ro...
Tsu'tey of the Rongloa, son of [...]
Oh (handwritten above Ma)
Na'viru [...]
to the people [...] (handwritten)

Note: the syllabification of sìfmetokit and emzola'u are apparently incorrect.

Note: the syllabification of Kelutralti suggests either morphology is preserved, or it is an error.

A Message From Paul

(January 20, 2010)

On January 20, Paul Frommer sent a message to the Na'vi language community expressing his appreciation for the love we have shown for the language and assuring us he will provide us with guidance when he is able to. The message was sent as Na'vi text, English text, and spoken Na'vi audio - spoken by Frommer himself. The message can be read and heard in its entirety at the site masempul.org. See also the announcement thread on the Learn Na'vi forum. See also this forum thread for linguistic analysis of the message's contents using a marked-up version also provided by Frommer. For more analysis, see A Message From Paul. Stress marked below with underlines as per Frommer's mark-up.

Ayeylanur oeyä sì eylanur lì'fyayä leNa'vi nìwotx:
To all my friends and friends of the Na'vi language:
Oel ayngati kameie, ma oeeylan, ulte ayngaru seiyi irayo. Fpole' ayngal oer fìtxanftxavang a 'upxaret stolawm oel. Lì'fyari leNa'vi oel 'efu ayngeyä tìyawnit. Ulte omum oel futa tìfyawìntxuri oeyä perey ayngawotx.
I See you, my friends, and I thank you. I have heard the message you have sent me so passionately. I feel your love for the Na'vi language. And I know you are all waiting for my guidance.
Spivaw oeti rutxe, ma oeeylan: oe new nìtxan ayngaru fyawivìntxu. Slä nìawnomum, zene oe 'awsitengkangkem sivi fohu a Uniltìrantokxit sì kifkeyit Eywa'evengä zamolunge awngar. Foru 'upxaret oel fpole', slä vay set ke pahängem kea tì'eyng. Nìaynga oe pereyteng.
Please believe me, my friends. I want very much to guide you. But as you know, I must work together with those who have brought us “Avatar” and the world of Pandora. I have sent them a message, but up to now no answer has arrived. Like you, I too am waiting.
'eyngit oel tolel a krr, ayngaru payeng, tsakrr paye'un sweya fya'ot a zamivunge oel ayngar aylì'ut horentisì lì'fyayä leNa'vi.
When I receive an answer, I will let you know, and I will then decide the best way to bring you the words and rules of Na'vi.
Sìlpey oe, layu oeru ye'rìn sìltsana fmawn a tsun oe ayngaru tivìng.
I hope I will soon have good news to give you.
Aylì'ufa awngeyä 'eylanä a'ewan Markusì ta Ngalwey . . . 'Ivong Na'vi!
In the words of our young friend Markus from Galway . . . Let Na'vi bloom!
Kìyevame ulte Eywa ngahu.
Goodbye for now, and may Eywa be with you.
Ta 'eylan karyusì ayngeyä, Pawl.
Your friend and teacher, Paul.

Lemondrop.com

(January 26, 2010)

Calling All 'Avatar' Lovers -- Pick-Up Lines and How to Talk Dirty in Na'vi article.

Nga za'u fìtseng pxìm srak?
Do you come here often?
Oeyä ikran slivu nga, tsakrr oeng 'awsiteng mivakto.
Be my ikran and let's ride together.
Pxasìk
Screw it! No way!
Oel ngati kameie.
I see you.
Nga yawne lu oer.
I love you.
Ke lu kawtu a nulnivew oe pohu tireapivängkxo äo Utral Aymokriyä.
There's nobody I'd rather commune with under the Tree of Voices.

Good Morning America

(February 26, 2010). In preparation for a Good Morning, America (a morning TV show in the U.S.) piece about LearnNavi.org, Frommer prepared a few statements for forum members to use and study together on camera. Prrton produced a PDF with the text mixed with notes [1]. Here are (most of) the sentences with Frommer's translations.

Trr Lefpom (Ayngar), ma Sute Amerikayä!
(May) you (have) a happy day, O People of America!
Trr Lefpom, ma Amerika!
Happy day (to you), O America!
Koren a’Awve tìRuseyä ’Awsiteng
The First Rule for Living Together
Kem(ì)ri a ngaru prrte' ke lu, Tsakem rä’ä sivi aylaheru.
As for (an/any) action that you don’t like, don’t do that action (don’t act that (way)) to others.
Hem ngeyä zenke fkoru livu, Tsahem a ngaru prrte’ ke lu.
Your actions must not be to others, those actions that you don’t like.
Lì’fyari leNa’vi ’Rrtamì, vay set ’almong a fra’u zera’u ta ngrrpongu.
Everything that has gone on with (blossomed regarding) Na’vi until now on Earth has come from a grassroots movement.
Maw krr ayoe tìyätxaw.
We’ll be right back after this break.
Neto’ä ki!
Don’t go away.

Why is this night ...

(March 22, 2010)

Dr. Frommer's translation of "The Four Questions" [2]

Fìtxon na ton alahe nìwotx pelun ke lu teng?
this-night like nights other all why not is same
Tonìri alahe, awngal yom hametsìt, yom matsat, ke tsranten; fìtxon yom matsat nì'aw.
as-for-nights other we eat hametz eat matzah not matter; this-night eat matzah only
Tonìri alahe, awngal yom fkxenti lerìk nìwotx; fìtxon yom sat a lu syä'ä nì'aw.
as-for-nights other we eat vegetable-food leafy all; this-night eat those that are bitter only
Tonìri alahe, awnga ke yemfpay si keng 'awlo; fìtxon yemfpay si melo.
as-for-nights other we not dipping do even once; this-night dipping do twice
Tonìri alahe, awngal yom wutsot tengkrr hereyn nìpxim, tengkrr teruvon, ke tsranten; fìtxon yom tengkrr teruvon.
as-for-nights other we eat meal while sitting erect, while leaning, not matter; this-night eat while leaning
Tonìri alahe, awngal yom wutsot nìfya'o letrrtrr; fìtxon yom nì'eoio.
as-for-nights other we eat meal in-manner ordinary; this-night eat ceremoniously

Earth Day Message

April 22, 2010. Text with vocabulary notes on the forum.

Ma oeyä eylan,
Fìtrrmì letsranten—Trr ’Rrtayä—new oe pivlltxe ayngaru san kaltxì sìk ulte tivìng ayngar lì’ut a tì’efumì oeyä lu lor frato mì lì’fya leNa’vi: meoauniaea. Fìlì’uä ral lu tìme’em sì tìrusey mì hifkey na Nawma Sa’nokä hapxì, ’uo a fpi rey’eng Eywa’evengmì ’Rrtamì tsranten nìtxan awngaru nìwotx.
Ngaytxoa, nìawnomum ke lolu oer nìkeftxo mì soka srr ayskxom letam fte lì’fyari awngeyä tìkangkem sivi. Slä lu oeru fmawno asìltsan: ye’rìn ’ìyi’a sänume a tsari kllfro’ oe; mawkrr layeiu oer krr nì’ul fte ngivop aylì’ut sì tsayfnesänumvit a tsun frapor srung sivi fte nivume sì ziverok nìswey.
Tsakrrvay, ayngeyä tìmweypeyri irayo seiyi oe, ulte fìtrrä ftxozäri, sìlpey oe, ayngaru prrte’ livu.
Kìyevame ulte Eywa ayngahu.
ta Pawl

Reading in Public

May 3, 2010. Announcement on the forum.

Tengkrr palulukan moene kxll sarmi, poltxe Neytiril aylì’ut a frakrr ’ok seyä layu oer.
As the thanator was charging towards the two of us, Neytiri said something I will always remember.

Na'viteri Blog Post

June 30, 2010. Blog post here. Discussion on the forum.

NìNa’vi:
Ma oeyä eylan,
Tse . . . Nìawnomum, fwa oel fìtìkangkemvit sngeykivä’i krrnolekx nìtxan, slä nì’i’a tsun oe pivlltxe san Zola’u nìprrte’ ne pìlok Na’viteri sìk! Tìmweypeyri ayngeyä seiyi irayo nìngay. Sìlpey oe, awngeyä lì’fyaolo’ìri fìpìlok lìyevu pxan, ulte frapo—ftxey sngä’iyu ftxey tsulfätu—tsìyevun fìtsenge rivun ’uot lesar.
Lu pìlokur pxesìkan sì pxefne’upxare:
1ve: NUMTSENGVI AYSNGÄ’IYUÄ
Fayupxare layu aysngä’iyufpi, fte lì’fyari awngeyä fo tsìyevun nìftue nìltsansì nivume.
Ma oeyä eylan, faysänumviri rutxe fì’ut tslivam: Nìltsan omum oel futa ayhapxìtul lì’fyaolo’ä awngeyä txantsana aysänumvit ngolop fte aylaru kivar. Faysulfätuä tìkangkem oheru meuia luyu nìngay. :Kllkxayem fìtìkangkem oeyä rofa—ke io—pum° feyä.
2ve: TÌPÄNGKXO LELÌ’FYA
Fayupxaremì oe payängkxo teri horen lì’fyayä leNa’vi fpi sute a tsun srekrr tsat sivar. Ayngeyä sìpawmìri kop fmayi fìtsenge tivìng sì’eyngit. Nìawnomum tolel oel ta ayhapxìtu lì’fyaolo’ä pxaya sìpawmit atxantsan a vay set ke ’oleyng. Sìlpey oe tsnì tsìyevun nì’i’a tsakem sivi fìpìlokfa.
3ve: MIPA AYLÌ’FYAVI, MIPA HOREN
Pìlokä fìhapxìyä tìkan lu law.
Lu law ’uo alahe, ma eylan. Krro krro fìtsenge oe tìkxey sayi. (Ke plltxe san sasyi sìk!) Txo tsive’a ayngal keyeyt, rutxe oeru piveng fte tsivun oe sa’ut leykivatem.
Ha awnga sngivä’i ko! Ziva’u nìmun ye’rìn . . . tsakrr rayun ayngal ayupxaret amip.
’Ivong Na’vi.
ta Pawl

Capturing Avatar

(November 25 2010 — forum post)

Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì. Fìpoti oel tspìyang, fte tìkenong liyevu aylaru.
These demons are forbidden here. I will kill this one as a lesson to the others.

Christmas Songs

(December 14, 2010 — forum post)

Frommer provided Pandoran-flavored translations of two well-known German Christmas songs.

O Tannenbaum

Tewti ma utral, tewti ma utral,
ngeyä ayrìk leiu lor!
nga krrmì tsawkeyä tsawl slu
sì fìkrrmì a vawm leru
Tewti ma utral, tewti ma utral,
ngeyä ayrìk leiu lor.
Tewti ma utral, tewti ma utral,
oel kameie ngati!
frazìsìt oeru sunu nga,
a zera’eiu Eywata!
Tewti ma utral, tewti ma utral,
oel kameie ngati!
Tewti ma utral, tewti ma utral,
ngal keiar oeru futa
meoauniaeal
frakrr awngati fmereial
Tewti ma utral, tewti ma utral,
ngal keiar oeru fì’ut.

Stille Nacht (Silent Night)

txon amawey, txon a’eoio
fratseng lu atan, fnu frapo
nìmwey ’evit sì sa’nokit nìn
’evit a lu ’ewan sì sevin
hivahaw nìmwey mì ton
hivahaw nìmwey mì ton
txon amawey, txon a’eoio
tìyawnä atanit Eywal terìng
nawma sa’nok tìhawnu sivi
awngeyä tìreyur kifkeyursì
hivahaw nìmwey mì ton
hivahaw nìmwey mì ton

Maria went to the forest of thorns

Maria kxamlä na’rìng kä, Eywa tìhawnu sivi!
Maria kxamlä na’rìng kä a ayzìsìto kea ayrìk tsar ke lalmu
Yeysu sì Maria!
Peul tok peyä txe’lanit, Eywa tìhawnu sivi!
Hì’ia ’evil tìsrawluke terok txe’lanit Mariayä
Yeysu sì Maria!
Ayutralur lu frrnesyul, Eywa tìhawnu sivi!
Ayutral lu frrnesyul tengkrr zamerunge ’evit na’rìngmì
Yeysu sì Maria!

Cirque du Soleil: Toruk - The First Flight

(Na'vi texts from Canadian newspaper (also website) used in the Toruk - The First Flight)

Correct Na'vi text:

Tìng tsat oer.
Donne-le moi.
Give it to me.

Ngari frawzo srak?
Ça va?
How are you?

Zene pivllhrr ayolo'ur alahe.
Il faut alerter les autres clans.
We must warn other clans.

Ma Entu! Kempe si nga fìtseng?
Entu! Que fais-tu ici?
Entu! What are you doing here?

Fwa fìtsengmì 'ì'awn lu lehrrap.
C'est dangereux de rester ici.
It is dangerous to stay here.

Oel ngati kameie. Oeru syaw Ralu.
Je te vois. Mon nom est Ralu.
I see you. My name is Ralu.

Fwew moel Torukit.
Nous cherchons le Toruk.
We (both) look for the Toruk.

Irayo.
Merci.
Thanks.

Lu lor.
Elle est belle.
It is beautiful.

Lu lor poe.
C'est elle qui est belle.
It is she who is beautiful.

Tul!
Cours!
Run!

Fìtxan yaymak menga lu.
Vous deux êtes si bêtes.
You (both) are so foolish.

Srung si pxoer(u)
Aidez-nous.
Help us (three).

Original Na'vi text:

Ting tsat oer
Donne-le moi
Give it to me

Ngari frawzo srak?
Ça va?
How are you?

Zene pivllhrr ayolu'ur alahe
Il faut alerter les autres clans
We must warn other clans

Ma Entu! Kempe si nga fitseng?
Entu! Que fais-tu ici?
Entu! What are you doing here?

Fwa fitsengmi 'i' awn lu lehrrap
C'est dangereux de rester ici
It is dangerous to stay here

Oel ngati kameie. Oeru syaw Ralu
Je te vois. Mon nom est Ralu
I see you. My name is Ralu

Fwew moel Torukit
Nous cherchons le Toruk
We (both) look for the Toruk

Irayo
Merci
Thanks

Lu lor
Elle est belle
It is beautiful

Lu lor poe
C'est elle qui est belle
It is she who is beautiful

Tul!
Cours!
Run!

Fitxan yaymak menga lu
Tu es si bête
You (both) are so foolish

Srung si pxoer(u)
Aidez-nous
Help us (three)

Audio Corpus

Audio and video recordings (interviews, sound clips, etc) of Dr. Frommer speaking Na'vi can be considered canonical, although in most cases we do not have canonical transcriptions, and in some cases we can't even be sure we know what he's saying. Any analysis of the Na'vi language based on non-transcripted audio is even more speculative than usual. On the other hand, Frommer's recordings are the best canonical examples of correct pronunciation we have and may provide clues about stress patterns, intonation, and other phonetic nuances above and beyond the IPA given in his Language Log post.

In some cases, clips containing just Frommer's spoken Na'vi are available (including both normal speed and slowed-down versions), either as a zipfile of the entire collection or via a webpage listing the individual clips. See this forum thread for more information.

Note the following:

  • The sound quality of some clips is rather poor, making them unreliable for pronunciation guidance.
  • In some clips, people such as James Cameron and Zoe Saldana speak some Na'vi. Their pronunciations may not be as reliable as Frommer's.
  • In some cases, we have canonical transcriptions of the spoken phrases available from other sources.

Vanity Fair

Vanity Fair interview - audio clip is partway down the page. Note that the Na'vi transcription appears to be accurate, hence was probably supplied by Frommer, and hence is canonical.

  • Kaltxì. Ngaru lu fpom srak? "Hello. How are you?" (literally: "Are you well?") (clip)

New York Times

New York Times article audio clip - transcription not from canon source

  • Oel hu Txewì trram na'rìngit tarmok, tsole'a syeptutet atsawl frato mì sìrey. "Yesterday I was with Txewì in the forest and we saw the biggest Trapper [type of carnivorous plant] I've ever seen."
  • Lu fo lehrrap. Tsun tutet tspivang ko. "Those things are dangerous. They can kill a person, you know."
  • Oe omum. Nari soli ayoe fteke nìhawng livok. "I know. We were careful not to get too close."

Note: The use of "ayoe" instead of "moe" in the final line may be in error, as Frommer has admitted to forgetting to use the dual form, especially in the first person.

BBC Radio

BBC Radio interview - note: poor audio quality

  • 2:30 Oel ngati kameie. "I See you."
  • 3:15 From the Activist Survival Guide, a portion of The Hunt Song: "You are fast and strong; you are wise. I must be fast and strong, so only if I'm worthy of you will you feed the people. Let my arrow strike true, let my spear strike the heart, let the truth strike my heart, let my heart be true."
  • 4:02 "Your alien smell fills my nose."

NPR

National Public Radio interview

  • 0:29 Clip from the movie - Moat speaks to the Na'vi?
  • 1:09 "Hello, Renee. I See you. Are you well? It's a pleasure to be able to chat with you." (clip)
  • 1:24 "I See you." (short form) (clip)
  • 2:16 "My big blue butt."

ABC News Nightline

ABC News Nightline segment

  • 1:02 James Cameron: "I was going to kill him, but there was a sign from Eywa."
  • Paul Frommer:
    • 2:44 Fayvrrtep fìtsenge lu kxanì. "These demons are forbidden here." (clip)
    • 3:55 Tsun oe ngahu pivängkxo a fì’u oeru prrte’ lu. "It's a pleasure to be able to chat with you." (clip)
  • 4:08 Zoe Saldana: "Please forgive me brother, may you go to the grandmother, may the grandmother take you."
  • 4:23 Sigourney Weaver: Skxawng "Moron"

PBS Radio

PBS Newshour interview - note: poor audio quality

  • 1:13 "Metal"
  • 2:16 "Hello Annie, I See you."

Southern California Public Radio

Southern California Public Radio interview

  • 1:18 Kaltxì. "Hello." (clip)
  • 10:45 and 11:02 meoauniaea (one of Frommer's favorite Na'vi words - English meaning not yet defined) (transcription source: Language Log post) (clip)
  • 13:10 Kìyevame "See you again" (clip)
  • 13:33 Eywa ngahu. "Eywa be with you." (clip)

Capturing Avatar

(Paul Frommer speaks during the closing credits of Capturing Avatar (forum)

oeri Uniltìrantokxìl tìreyti leykolateiem nìtxan
Avatar has greatly changed my life for the better. (subtitled)