High Valyrian Conversation Starters: Speak With Confidence

So you want to actually speak High Valyrian — at a watch party, in a fan community, or just to impress yourself. Here’s the honest starting point: the pool of fully documented, attested High Valyrian phrases is small. This guide gives you High Valyrian conversation starters built only from well-attested words, clearly labeled, plus honest guidance on where reconstruction is safe.

The Golden Rule: Know What’s Attested

High Valyrian’s documented vocabulary comes from David J. Peterson’s work on Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, catalogued on the public High Valyrian wiki (wiki.dothraki.org). George R.R. Martin’s books contributed only a handful of words. Everything below marked “attested” is documented there; anything else is marked “reconstructed by fans.” Never present a reconstruction as canon — the community will notice, and you’ll learn the wrong thing.

Starter Phrases You Can Use With Confidence

These six High Valyrian conversation starters alone carry real conversations at fan events. The valar morghulis / valar dohaeris exchange is practically a secret handshake. For a larger collection of documented lines, see our High Valyrian phrases page — it’s the best single reference for phrases you can trust.

Building Your Own Starters From Documented Words

Once you know core vocabulary, you can assemble simple sentences — just keep the grammar honest. High Valyrian’s default word order is subject–object–verb (SOV), and it has 4 noun classes and 8 cases, so word endings matter. Start simple:

• Yes/no answers: Kessa and daor work in almost any conversational gap. They’re attested, short, and unmistakable.
• Nyke (I/me, attested): the anchor for talking about yourself. Combine it with documented verbs only — don’t guess conjugations from English patterns.
• Zaldrizes (dragon, attested): endlessly useful in fan conversation, and a safe noun to practice with.

If you’re unsure whether a combination is grammatical, check it in the High Valyrian dictionary or draft it with the English to Valyrian translator and then verify each word. Drafting tools are starting points, not authorities.

Where Reconstruction Is Acceptable

Fan communities do reconstruct missing words and phrases — that’s normal for constructed languages with limited canon. The rule is transparency: if you coin or borrow a phrase, say so. “This is reconstructed by fans” is a complete and respectable label. What poisons the well is presenting reconstructions as attested canon, because other learners then study your invention as fact.

A practical approach: keep two lists. One list holds only attested words and phrases (the table above is its seed). The second holds reconstructions, each marked. Your spoken confidence should come from list one — your core High Valyrian conversation starters; your creativity lives in list two.

Practice Scenarios

Try these low-pressure situations to practice your High Valyrian conversation starters and build speaking confidence:

1. Watch parties: Greet arrivals with valar morghulis and answer with valar dohaeris. You’ll know instantly who the real fans are.
2. Online communities: Drop kirimvose instead of “thanks” in Valyrian-learning groups. Small, correct usage beats long, wrong speeches.
3. Shadowing practice: Repeat show lines aloud after the actors — our High Valyrian listening practice tips cover the technique. Pay special attention to long vowels (ā ē ī ō ū ȳ).
4. Self-narration: Narrate small actions in your head using nyke, kessa, and daor. It feels silly; it works.

Pronunciation Quick Reference

• Stretch long vowels audibly — vowel length is meaningful in High Valyrian.
• Valar morghulis: stress the rhythm you hear in the show; don’t anglicize it into “VAL-ar mor-GHOO-lis” with English stress habits.
• Kirimvose: four even syllables, clean vowels.
• When in doubt, imitate Peterson’s own pronunciation in his interviews and talks — it’s the closest thing to a reference standard.

Related Valyrian Tools

• High Valyrian phrases — the full collection of documented phrases; start here before anywhere else.
• High Valyrian dictionary — verify every word before you speak it.
• English to Valyrian translator — draft your own sentences, then verify.
• Valyrian to English translator — decode lines other fans share.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best High Valyrian greeting?

Valar morghulis (“all men must die”) is the most recognized, with valar dohaeris (“all men must serve”) as its reply. Both are attested in Game of Thrones and instantly understood by fans.

How do you say “thank you” in High Valyrian?

Kirimvose — attested in House of the Dragon. It’s documented on the public High Valyrian wiki.

How do you say “yes” and “no” in High Valyrian?

Kessa means “yes” (attested in House of the Dragon) and daor means “no” or “not” (attested in Game of Thrones).

Can I make up my own High Valyrian phrases?

You can, but label them as fan reconstructions. Building from documented vocabulary with correct grammar is a legitimate learning exercise — presenting inventions as canon is not.

Is there a “hello” in High Valyrian?

No single documented word for “hello” is widely attested the way kirimvose is for “thank you.” Fans typically use valar morghulis as a greeting instead. Be wary of sites that invent one without a source.

Where can I find more verified phrases?

Our High Valyrian phrases page collects documented phrases with meanings, and the public High Valyrian wiki (wiki.dothraki.org) is the underlying source for verification.

The takeaway: these six attested High Valyrian conversation starters are enough to start real conversations with fellow fans. Master those with correct pronunciation, keep reconstructions honestly labeled, and let the High Valyrian phrases page be your growing reference.