What Is High Valyrian?

Ever wondered what language Daenerys uses when she commands her dragons with "Dracarys!"? That's High Valyrian—the classical language of the Valyrian Freehold, kind of like Latin in our world. It was once the official language of the powerful Valyrian empire, but after the empire fell, it gradually became a written and noble language, while everyday people started using its dialects (like the Low Valyrian that Daenerys often speaks).

If you're curious about this fascinating language, try our free High Valyrian Translator to see how phrases work and hear correct pronunciation in real-time.

The Common Confusion: High Valyrian vs. Low Valyrian

Here's something I wish someone had told me when I first started: many people mix up High Valyrian and Low Valyrian. Here's a simple way to tell them apart—just look at the context.

If it's formal dialogue between nobles, important documents, or those spell-like commands Daenerys uses when summoning dragons, that's High Valyrian. If it's everyday conversations between commoners or slaves, that's Low Valyrian. For example, "Valar Morghulis" (all men must die) from Game of Thrones is High Valyrian, while "Kepa" (father) used in daily life is Low Valyrian.

It's Not Just Random Sounds: A Real Language with Complete Grammar

A lot of people think languages in TV shows are just made-up syllables thrown together. That's not the case here—High Valyrian is a fully constructed language with its own grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation rules, and you can actually use it to communicate. This was the most surprising discovery for me.

I actually went through the official learning materials to verify this, and I found that the grammar rules are quite rigorous. For example, nouns have gender (masculine, feminine, neuter) and case (nominative, accusative, genitive, etc.), and verbs change based on the subject's person and number. Here's a simple example: "I am a dragon rider" in High Valyrian is "Iksan drakarys rider," where "Iksan" (I am) is the first-person singular verb form—you can't just swap it with other forms.

What's even cooler is that this language now has native speakers (yes, people actually use it as their daily language), official dictionaries and grammar books, and dedicated learning communities. I joined a global High Valyrian learning group with enthusiasts from over a dozen countries, and we share daily life updates in High Valyrian. That feeling of "stepping into the Game of Thrones world" is absolutely amazing.

Beginner's Guide: 3 Steps to Master High-Frequency Words

Many Game of Thrones fans want to get started but give up when they see unfamiliar words and grammar—I totally get it, that was my struggle too. You don't need to learn everything at once. Start by memorizing high-frequency words, and you'll quickly grasp the essence of the show's dialogue. Here's my 3-step memory method that I've tested and found really effective:

Step 1: Start with "iconic scene vocabulary." Prioritize words that appear frequently in the show and are highly recognizable, like "Dracarys" (dragonfire), "Valar Morghulis" (all men must die), and "Valar Dohaeris" (all men must serve). These words have the story context working for them, so they stick in your memory much faster.

Step 2: Connect pronunciation with spelling. High Valyrian pronunciation is quite regular. For example, "y" sounds like "ee," and "j" sounds like "ya." Once you connect the sounds with the spelling, you won't need to memorize by rote.

Step 3: Use it in context. After watching an episode of Game of Thrones, write down the High Valyrian lines that appear and try making your own sentences. For example, use "Dracarys" to say "I like to shout Dracarys" (Iksan Dracarys jorrāelagon). Practice a few times and it'll stick.

Hidden Gem: High Valyrian's "Pronunciation Easter Eggs"

This is a little-known detail that even people in the field rarely mention, and it took me a long time to discover: High Valyrian's pronunciation actually draws from multiple real-world languages, including Latin, Greek, and a bit of Sanskrit. For example, the word "drakarys" (dragonfire)—the "dra" part references the pronunciation of "draco" (dragon) in Latin, while the "rys" part references "rythmos" (rhythm) in Greek.

What's the point of knowing this? It can actually help us pronounce and remember words faster. For instance, if you encounter High Valyrian words starting with "dra," they're likely related to dragons. Words starting with "mor" are usually related to death or mortality (like "Morghulis" in "Valar Morghulis"). I've doubled my memorization efficiency using this method, and beginners can try it too.

The Bottom Line

After all this, I hope you have a clear picture of what High Valyrian is. Honestly, this language isn't as hard as it might seem. Once you combine it with the show's story and ease into it gradually, you'll start to feel its charm.Ready to dive into High Valyrian? Try our free High Valyrian Translator and start practicing today. Translate phrases, hear pronunciation, and discover how this constructed language works in practice. Whether you're a complete beginner or looking to deepen your understanding, our translator helps you explore High Valyrian step by step.