Last updated: 10/01/2026

Neo Sindarin - Time words and expressions

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Here are some terms used to express time. Some are prepositions already explored above, some are specialised time-related terms. Many time words and expressions in English have no direct translation into Sindarin, but equivalents are proposed here.

Many terms here are neologisms and unattested forms. Always check the precise meaning and mechanics before using any of these examples. The classification of each word or expression is described when relevant. Words already mentioned in this page are linked to their corresponding anchors.

Periods of time

lû = "time, ocasion"

andrann = "age"

hídast vin andrann dadui → "‹it happened› during the second age"

în = "year" Long year, i.e. 144 solar years.

coranor = "solar year"

en·auth bronannel gerenyr leben = "the war endured five years"

ranoth = "month"

e·beriain eríther nabant renyth dâd vi mbâr Elrond = "the hobbits had been nearly two months in the house of Elrond"

odlad = "week"

Aragorn hí en·odlad dell = "Aragorn [was] here last week"

aur = "day"

ebent te aur vain = "‹she said› it [is] [a] beautiful day"

oreth = "hour"

Anor eriatha vi oreth = "[the] sun ‹will rise› in [an] hour"

ethuil = "spring" laer = "summer" iavas = "autumn" rhîw = "winter"

te aran an rhîw tadrast = "he [is] king for two-dozen winters"

Time expressions

Time expressions are words and phrases used to convey time-related information. They can describe:

Past, present, or future (when)
Frequency (how often)
Duration (how long))
Sequence (in what order)

Sindarin has very few known words for time expressions, so the vast majority are neologisms and words imported from Quenya. (Use these with a grain of salt.)

Expressions for the past

nuir = "yesterday"

covanner i·ñgelydh nuir = "we met the Noldor yesterday" en·aur fo nuir = "the day before yesterday"

tell = "last" e.g. "last week", "last year"

odul na Dhunnor e·laer dell = "he came to Númenor last summer"

nî = "ago" from T. né

anwer oer chanad nî = "‹they departed› days four ago" gwae- > anwer Elu líthannen oer chanad nî = "Elwë [was] lost days four ago" Notice that nî is homonym with the past tense copula

annî = "long ago" anda + né

Elu nî líthannen annî = "Elwë was lost ‹long ago›"

unní = "recently" ú + and + nî

angeliannen Edhellen unní = "I learned Sindarin recently"

gwanwas = "the past, past days, olden time"

i·Núnedain ebenner Edhellen milume gwanwas = "the Númenóreans spoke Sindarin during ‹that time›"

amor = "morning"

perian odul en·amor hen = "a hobbit arrived this morning"

io = "when"

io nîn chên, óven chû = "when ‹I was› [a] child, ‹I had› [a] dog"

Expressions for the present

sír = "today"

sír fêlin analu = "today ‹I feel› better"

hí = "now"

te fara sí = "he hunts now" (is hunting)

silu = "currently", "time now" (lit.) sí + lû adverb

menin silu na Lindon = "‹I am going› currently to Lindon"

gwí = "just now"

egínen Elrond gwí = "‹I saw› Elrond ‹just now›"

ui = "ever"

Lúthien nî idh rovain i cuiasser ui = "Lúthien was the ‹most beautiful› who ever lived"

laew = "frequent"

sî = "hitherto, until now"

hennannen barf sí = "‹I read› [a] book until now" (I was reading)

Expressions for the future

abor = "tomorrow"

i·chûd covadatha abor = "the council ‹will meet› tomorrow"

abor = "next" (week / month / year)

en·odlad abor Raun tho baron = "next week the moon ‹will be› full"

rong = "soon"

ent = "future" as adjective

Edain int líthathar e·lam he = "future men ‹will forget› this language"

lu dolol = "coming time" tolol = "coming, approaching"

oer dolol = "coming days"

tollu = "future", "coming time" (lit.) compound tolol + lû

enta = "that yonder" (in the future) Q. enta

lu chaer = "eventually", "distant time" (lit.) haer = "remote, distant" expression

ab lu = "later", "after time" (lit.)

uvlu/uvor/uvaur = "someday" (one day?) Adverb - ᴺS Q. umaryas/umaurë

olatha aran uvaur = "‹he will be› king someday"

Expressions for frequency

illu, bor, ui = "always" illu = il + lû bor = from √BOR(ON)

sain/senu = "usually"

iston senu nuithad gennen = "I can usually avoid being seen"

lilu = "often, sometimes" < lilume

lilu linnas = "[he] often sings"

semlu = "seldom, occasionally" Adverb - ᴺS < semellumë

semlu linnas = "[he] seldom sings"

allu = "never" Adverb - ᴺS

allu linnas = "[he] never sings"

il = "every" (each)

linnas aur il = "‹he sings› every day"

pân = "all" (whole)

linnas aur bân = "‹he sings› all day"

once, twice erlu = "once" adu = "double" (twice?)

evínen na Dhunnor erlu ah adu = "‹I went› to Númenor once or twice"

? - some times, occasionally - lû "occasion"

Expressions for order and sequence

fo = "before"

ab = "after"

Legolas ola 'elir ab vâd = "Legolas becomes merry after [a] meal" Legolas olant 'elir ab e·vâd = "Legolas became merry after the meal"