Khuzdul

Khuzdul, or Dwarvish is the secret language of the Dwarves.

The Dwarves are very protective of their own language. They share little of it with outsiders, even their friends among the other races. Khuzdul is carefully preserved and taught to young Dwarves. Few of the other races have learned it. Dwarves do not go by their Khuzdul names in public, instead taking "outer" names from Northern. Even on their tombs, Dwarves are recorded by these foreign names rather than their secret names.

A highly inflected language, Khuzdul is based on word stems of three consonants, known as triconsonantal roots. The vowels between and surrounding these consonants determine the case and tense of the word. For example, the root FLK means "chisel, hew rock". Felak means "chisel (object)", afluk means "to chisel, to hew rock", "uflak" means "hewer/chiseller (person)", and iflêk means "the act of hewing rock". The addition of prefixes and suffixes is used to form even more complex cases of a single word, such as mafallakûn, meaning "he who continues to hew rock again/excessively".

Word List

See External Links for many more definitions and details. Where applicable, plural forms are given. Note that different cases of these words may be required for proper grammar, depending on their place in a sentence or phrase. Also keep in mind that few of these would be known to non-Dwarves. Even to those familiar with Dwarves, mostly only common phrases and the names of major locations would be known.

'abad pl. 'abbad - mountain

'Abad-nuhbu - the Berg-beam

'aban - stone

abkân - wakening

Abkân'aban - the Stone of Wakening

ablâk - storm

Ablâk-khadar - Stormwall

abnu - stone

Abnubuzûr - The Secret Stone

adhâr - strike

adkhât - rest

Adkhât-zahhar - the Houses of Rest

afhân - lore

Afhân-binnîn - the Lore-trove

aglâm - glimmer

Aglâmbazar- Glimmerdeep

agshar - scholar

Agshar-mazal - Scholar-chamber

akhrâm pl. akharâm - name

akkâ - force, army, host

Akrakír - the Ladder-gardens

akrâz - glory

Amdân - the Threshold

Amdân Dammul - the Bloody Threshold

amrâg - feast

Amrâg-zahar - The Feast-house

an - river

Anatrâd - the River-watch

annâk - return

Annâk-khurfu - the Camp of Return

anzar pl. anazâr - steward

Anazârmekhem - Stewards' Gate

askâd - shadows, shade

Askâd-mazal - Chamber of Shadows

aslanul - cloven

Aslanulsatâf - Clovengap

atrâd - watch, guard

atrad - watching, guarding

Atrad-zarakh - Watching-spire

azan - dim

Azanulbizar - Dimrill Dale (Nanduhirion)

azgh - war

Azgh-buzru - the War-fell

azghzabad - warlord

azhâr - stead

azsâlul - lonely

Azsâlul'abad - Lonely Mountain (Erebor)

baraz pl. barzâ - red

Barazinbar - Redhorn (Caradhras)

balb - frost

Balb-gundu - the Frostdelf

bark pl. baruk - axe

baruk Khazâd - axes of the Dwarves

basn pl. basân - foot

Basnbizar - "Foot-dale" (Dale)

bazar - deep, deeps, depths

bekâr - arming

Bekâr-mazal - the Arming-chamber

Bekâr-zarakh - the Arming-spire

beshêk - bones

bibil pl. biblâ - bronze

bin- - without

binakhrâm - nameless

bini'zêg - blinding

bini'zêg utrâd - blinding the watchers

binnîn - trove

biraisbêj - scouting

biraisbêj tharâkh - scouting the approaches

Bizar - dale, valley, vale, Dale

Bizar-atrâd - the Vale-watch

bund pl. banâd - head

Bundushathûr - Cloudyhead (Fanuidhol)

burmu - gap

Burmumekhem - the Gap-gate

buzru - fell, fold

buzûr - secret

dammul - bloody

danakh pl. dankhâ - green

dehar - anvil

dum pl. dûm - hall, mansion

dumul - soldier

Durinul'aban - Durin's Stone

durthu - dark, dour

Durthuzâram - the Dark Lake

Durthu-rathkh pl. Durthu-rathâkh - Dourhand

durûz - faces

Durûz-mazal - the Chamber of Faces

ensêkh - setting a trap

fabarâl - general

faham - north

farak - south

felak pl. felâk - chisel, hewer

Fund pl. Fanâd - Elf (polite)

furuk - south

Furuk-mekhem - the Southgate

Furukzahar - the Southern House

gabil - great

Gabil'akkâ - the Great Force

Gabilazan - Great-dim

Gabilshathûr - Great-clouds

Gabilthurku - Great-way

gairu - cleft

gamil - old

gathol pl gathôl - fortress, citadel

gund - home

gundu pl. gunûd - delf, delving, keep, underground hall

Gundabad - the Mountain-home

guthlu - citadel

haban - reckoning

Haban'akkâ - The Reckoning-host

harâz - warder

hulwul - sweet

Hulwul-harâz - Sweet Warder

hund pl. hanâd - hill

Hundshimrîn - "Hill-guarded place" (Dunland)

Hundushmar pl. Hundushmâr - "Hill-guardian" (Dunlendings)

ibal - square

ibdêkh - thing, council

Ibdêkh-buzru - the Thing-fold

ibîn - stones

idmul - recruit

immêsh - hoarding

Immêsh-khalt - the Hoarding-vault

inbar pl. nibâr - horn

Iglishmêk - Dwarvish sign language

imrêkh - shielded

Imrêkh-guthlu - the Shielded Citadel

isgêr - defeating

isgêr narakakâ - defeating the reinforcements

izkhas - lieutenant

Izlik-dûm - The Halls of Memory

Jazârgund - Underground Halls of Chains

jazr pl. jazâr - chain

kann pl. kanân - leg

khadar - wall

Khadar-zarâm - Wall-lake

khagal pl. khaglâ - blue

Khagal'abbad - Blue Mountains (Ered Luin)

khags pl. khagâs - neck

kâlah - cleft

khalt - vault

kharum - survivor

Kharum-ubnâr - Survivor-brethren

Khazâd ai-mênu - the Dwarves are upon you

Khazad-dûm - Dwarves' Mansions, "Dwarrowdelf" (Moria)

khebab - forge

kheled - glass

Kheled-zâram - "Glass-lake" (Mirrormere)

Kheledûl - Glassy

khur - crossing

Khur Azan - Dim Crossing

khurfu - camp

Khûthuz pl. Khuthâz - "Enduring/Endurer": Elf

Khuzd pl. Khazâd - Dwarf

Khuzdul - Dwarvish language

kibil - silver

Kibil-nâla - Silverlode (Celebrant)

Kibilzahar - the Silver-house

kidzul - golden

Kidzul-kâlah - The Goldencleft

kurdu - heart

Kurdushâlak - The Heartwater

labam pl. labmâ - white

Labam-gairu - Whitcleft (Nimrodel)

Labam-khebab - the White Forge

Labamzarszudnu - "White Tree Land" (Gondor)

lanz - dusk, gloom

Lanzaskâd - Duskenshade

lugun - sacred

Lugun-nâla - the Sacred Path

mahinsês - rescuing

mahinsês mamahkhadfân - rescuing the prisoners

mals - mist

malasul - misty

Malasul'abbad - Misty Mountains (Hithaeglir)

mamahkhadfân - prisoners

Marasrân - The Burned

mazal - chamber

Mazal Akrâz - Chamber of Glory

mazalu - abode

Mazalu Ugshar - Scholar's Abode

mazarbul - "that which is written": records

mebel - stiff

Mebelkhags pl. Mebelkhagâs - "Stiff-neck": Elf (impolite)

melakh - horns

melek pl. melêk - half, weathered rock

mekhem pl. mekhêm - gate

mesem - jewel

Mesem-azhâr - Jewel-stead

Mesem-gairu - Jewel-cleft

minam - pit

nâla pl. nulâ - path, course, vein, lode

Nalâ-dûm - Path Halls

narag - black

Narag-dehar - the Black Anvil

Narag-felak - Blackhewer

narakakâ - reinforcements

Naragzudnu, Nargûn - Black Land (Mordor)

nâta - ceiling

Nâtatharr - the Ceiling-rock

nesad - seat, set

nuhbu - beam, pillar

nud - east

Nud-mekhem - East-gate

Nud-melek - East-half

rakhâs - orcs

Rakhâs-bizar - Vale of Orcs

Razûkh-zahari - Rain-room

rugn pl. ragân - chin

Rukhs pl. Rakhâs - Orc

rukhûsh - howling

Rukhûsh-minam - Howling-pit

rush - throne

Rushdurinul - Durin's Throne

satâf - gap

shalak, shâlak - water

Shalakibal - the Water-square

sharb - bald

Sharbrugn pl. Sharbragân - "Bald-chin": Hobbit (impolite)

shathr pl. shathûr - cloud

shimrîn - guarded place

sigin- long

Sigin-targ pl. Sigin-tarâg - Longbeards

Sigin-tharâkh - Long Passage

Siginkann pl. Siginkanân - "Long-leg": Man (impolite)

tahaf pl. tahfâ - yellow, blond

targ pl. tarâg - beard

thafar - grey

Thafar-gathol - Grey Citadel

tharâkh - passage, approach

tharkh - pass

Tharkh Baraz - Red Pass

Tharkh Shathur - Cloud Pass

Tharkh Zigil - Silver Pass

tharr - rock

Tharrazhâr - Skarháld

theneb - thunder

Theneb-adhâr - the Thunderstrike

thikil - steel

Thikil-gundu - Steel Keep

Thikil-nesad - the Steel Seat

Thorinuldum - Thorin's Hall

thurkh - road

thurku - way

tumnu - dwelling

Tumnu-dûm - Dwelling-halls

tûmun - dwellings

ubnâr - brethren

ûdar - wizard

Ûdar-zahari - Wizard-home

ugrur - echo

Ugrur-melakh - the Echo-horns

ugshar - scholar

-ul - of, 's (genitive suffix)

'urd pl. 'urâd - mountain

'urd'êk - halls under Erebor

ushmar pl. ushmâr - guardian

'Utn pl. 'Atân - Man

utrâd - watchers

uzbad pl. uzbâd - king

Uzbad Khazaddûmu - Lord of Moria, King of Moria

Uzbad undu 'Urd - King Under the Mountain

uzdarul - highest

Uzdarulzahar - the Highest House

uzkhas - commander

zabad pl. zabbad - lord

Zabad'ibîn - the Lord-stones

Zabadgathol - Lord-fortress

zahar - house

zahari - home, room

zahhar - houses

zakaf - trophy

Zakaf-beshêk - Trophy-bones

zant pl. zanât - hair

Zantulbasn pl. Zantulbasân - "Hairy-foot": Hobbit

zarakh - spire, tower

zâram pl. zarâm - lake, tarn

Zâram-mekhem - The Tarn-gate

zars pl. zarâs - tree

Zarsatrâd - the Tree-watch

zashar - ruin

Zashar-tûmun - the Ruin-dwellings

zelem - west

Zelem-melek - West-half

Zelem'utn pl. Zelem'atân - Dúnadan, West-man

zidir - steep

Zidir-nesad - the Steep-set

zigil pl. ziglâ - silver, silvery

Zigilgund - the Silver-hall

zirak pl. zirâk - spike, tine

Zirakazhâr - the Silverstead

Zirakzigil - Silvertine, Celebdil

zirin - iron

ziriz pl. zirzâ - golden

zudnu pl. zudûn - realm, land

zul - memory

Zul-mazal - The Memory-chamber

Zuldûm - The Halls of Memory

zurr - secret

Zurr-thurkh - Secret Road

Background

The sound of Khuzdul and its triconsonantal root system are inspired by real-life Semitic languages.

J.R.R. Tolkien published very little Khuzdul vocabulary and syntax. Others have since expanded this, by building upon what "official" Khuzdul is available and drawing from real-life languages. Much of the Dwarvish used in The Lord of the Rings Online is from this "neo-Khuzdul". The linguist known as the Dwarrow Scholar has developed an extensive Khuzdul dictionary, from which most of the above terms are derived.

External Links

• Khuzdul - Tolkien Gateway
• The Dwarrow Scholar - huge corpus of neo-Khuzdul
• Parf Edhellen - searchable dictionary of Tolkien's languages, including what little Khuzdul he published