25 Best High Valyrian Phrases: Powerful Meanings (2026)

If you’ve ever wanted to answer “Valar Morghulis” the correct way — or shout “Dracarys” with the pronunciation Daenerys used — this guide to High Valyrian phrases is for you. Below are 25 essential phrases with meanings, pronunciation, and the exact show moments that made them famous, so you can use them with confidence whether you’re rewatching Game of Thrones, keeping up with House of the Dragon, or just want the perfect Instagram caption.

Definition box: High Valyrian phrases are sayings from High Valyrian, the constructed language created by linguist David J. Peterson for HBO’s Game of Thrones and expanded for House of the Dragon. Often called “the Latin of Westeros,” it is a fully grammatical language with four noun genders, eight noun cases, and more than 2,000 documented words.

Quick Answer: The most important High Valyrian phrases are Valar Morghulis (“all men must die”), Valar Dohaeris (“all men must serve”), and Dracarys (“dragonfire”). Start with greetings like kirimvose (thank you) and rytsas (hello), learn the famous quotes below, and practice pronunciation by shadowing show dialogue.

How to use this list: Don’t try to memorize all 25 high valyrian phrases at once. Learn one group per day — greetings on Monday, dragon commands on Tuesday, and so on — and say each phrase aloud three times. Hearing yourself produce the trilled r’s and long vowels is what locks the pronunciation into memory.

High Valyrian at a glance

What does “Valar Morghulis” mean?

“Valar Morghulis” means “all men must die” in High Valyrian. It is the traditional greeting of the Faceless Men of Braavos, and the customary response is “Valar Dohaeris” — “all men must serve.” The phrase was first spoken on screen by Jaqen H’ghar in the Season 2 finale (titled “Valar Morghulis”), and it carries the Braavosi philosophy that death is certain, so life must be spent in service. Pronounce it VA-lar mor-GOO-lis, softening the “g” the way Peterson himself does.

The 25 essential High Valyrian phrases

Greetings & everyday phrases

1. Rytsas — “Hello” (RIT-sas) Your all-purpose greeting. Simple, friendly, and the safest first word for any beginner.

2. Kirimvose — “Thank you” (ki-rim-VO-se) The politest word in the language. You’ll hear fans use it constantly — and it’s genuinely useful if you ever meet another learner.

3. Geros ilas — “Goodbye” (GE-ros I-las) Literally a farewell. Pair it with rytsas and you can open and close any Valyrian conversation.

4. Biarvose — “You’re welcome” (bi-ar-VO-se) The natural reply to kirimvose. Notice the shared -vose ending — politeness has a pattern in High Valyrian.

5. Issa — “Yes” (IS-sa) Short, essential, and straight from House of the Dragon dialogue.

6. Daor — “No / not” (DA-or) Usually placed at the end of a sentence, as in tubī daor (“not today”) — Arya Stark’s famous reply to “what do we say to the god of death?”

7. Kostilus — “Please” (kos-TI-lus) Add it to any request to sound like nobility rather than a sellsword.

8. Skorkydoso glaesā? — “How are you?” (skor-ky-DO-so GLAI-sa) The standard “how are you,” answered with syrī glaesan (“I am well”).

9. Skoroso jemēle brōzā? — “What is your name?” (sko-RO-so je-ME-le BRO-za) Introduce yourself first: ñuha brōzi [your name] issa (“my name is…”).

Dragon commands

10. Dracarys — “Dragonfire” (dra-KA-ris) The most iconic High Valyrian word: Daenerys’s command for her dragons to breathe fire. Note the spelling — the show writes Dracarys, while Peterson’s published lexicon spells the root drakarys; they are spelling variants of the same word, not a mistake. It was also Missandei’s defiant final word.

11. Lykirī — “Be calm / easy” (li-KI-ree) The gentle counterpart to dracarys — used to soothe an agitated dragon rather than unleash one.

12. Sōvēs — “Fly!” (SOH-vays) A House of the Dragon addition, used by Rhaenyra on dragonback. Stretch the long ō.

13. Umbās — “Wait” (um-BAHS) A practical command you’ll hear in HotD dragon-riding scenes.

Love, family & life

14. Avy jorrāelan — “I love you” (A-vy jor-RAI-lan) The phrase behind the most-searched question about the language. Jorrāelagon is the verb “to love” in its deep, cherishing sense.

15. Muña / Kepa — “Mother / Father” (MOO-nya / KEH-pa) Core Targaryen family words, prominent in House of the Dragon‘s family scenes.

16. Tubī — “Dear / beloved” (TOO-bee) A term of intimate address — which is exactly why tubī daor (“not today, dear one”) lands so hard as a farewell.

17. Dōna — “Sweet / gentle” (DOH-na) A soft adjective for tender moments.

Power, duty & famous quotes

18. Valar Dohaeris — “All men must serve” (VA-lar do-HAI-ris) The answer to valar morghulis. Together the pair expresses the Faceless Men’s creed: death is certain, so serve while you live.

19. Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor — “A dragon is not a slave” (zal-DREE-zes booz-DA-ree IK-sos DAH-or) Daenerys’s declaration of freedom in Astapor — one of the most quoted lines in the fandom, and a favorite tattoo and caption choice.

20. Ñuhor līr gūrēnna — “I will take what is mine” (NYU-hor LEER goo-RAIN-na) Daenerys’s vow of intent. Pure Targaryen resolve in six syllables.

21. Sīkudi nopāzmi! — “Seven hells!” (see-KU-di no-PAHZ-mi) The Valyrian exclamation for when the Common Tongue just won’t cut it.

22. Āeksio — “Lord / master” (aek-SEE-oh) The formal address for someone in power — useful in any throne-room scenario.

23. Dāria — “Queen” (DAH-ree-ah) For addressing a Daenerys or Rhaenyra — or crowning yourself in a caption.

24. Skoro syt? — “Why?” (SKO-ro SEET) The shortest philosophical question in the language.

25. Vāedis — “Good / well done” (VAI-dis) Praise, Valyrian-style. End any list on a high note — vāedis to you for learning all 25 high valyrian phrases.

How do you pronounce High Valyrian phrases correctly?

Master three rules and you’ll sound authentic: trill every “r” (like Spanish), stretch macron vowels (ā, ē, ī, ō, ū, ȳ) to double length, and soften the “g” in words like morghulis. Peterson himself has noted that most fans pronounce valar morghulis with a hard “g,” but his own pronunciation softens it. Shadow the show dialogue — pause after Daenerys or Rhaenyra speaks and repeat the line aloud. Your ears will calibrate faster than any textbook can manage.

Is High Valyrian a real language you can learn?

Yes — High Valyrian is a real, learnable constructed language, not random fantasy gibberish. Peterson built it with complete grammar: verbs conjugate, nouns decline across eight cases, and the vocabulary is internally consistent. Millions of learners have studied it through the free Duolingo course, and community resources — including Peterson’s own published lexicon notes — document the grammar in full. You won’t order coffee with it, but you can genuinely hold a basic conversation.

Where can I practice High Valyrian phrases for free?

The fastest free path is: a searchable dictionary for vocabulary, the show itself with subtitles for pronunciation, and a translator tool to test your own sentences. Keep a short list of the phrases above and use one per day in a real sentence — spaced, active use beats cramming. A good companion is the free 400-word searchable High Valyrian dictionary at highvalyriantranslators.com, which pairs each entry with a downloadable PDF for offline drills.

Frequently asked questions

What does “Valar Morghulis” mean? It means “all men must die” — the greeting of the Faceless Men of Braavos, answered with “Valar Dohaeris” (“all men must serve”).

What does “Dracarys” mean? “Dracarys” means “dragonfire” — Daenerys Targaryen’s command for her dragons to breathe fire. The show spelling is Dracarys; Peterson’s lexicon spells it drakarys.

How do you say “I love you” in High Valyrian? Avy jorrāelan (pronounced A-vy jor-RAI-lan).

Who created High Valyrian? Linguist David J. Peterson created it for HBO’s Game of Thrones and expanded it for House of the Dragon. His official site is davidjpeterson.com.

Is High Valyrian based on Latin? It draws inspiration from Latin, Ancient Greek, and Sanskrit in its inflectional grammar, which is why fans call it “the Latin of Westeros” — but its vocabulary is original.

How long does it take to learn High Valyrian? Most learners read common phrases fluently within a few months of daily 15–20 minute practice; basic conversation takes around six months of consistent study.

What is the response to “Valar Morghulis”? “Valar Dohaeris” — “all men must serve.”

Can I get a High Valyrian tattoo of these phrases? Yes — but double-check spelling against a reliable dictionary first, and remember the Dracarys/drakarys spelling variant before inking anything permanent.

Conclusion

These 25 High Valyrian phrases take you from a simple rytsas to the full weight of valar morghulis — greetings, dragon commands, declarations of love, and the creed of the Faceless Men. Learn five a week, pronounce them aloud with the show as your tutor, and you’ll be surprised how quickly the “Latin of Westeros” starts feeling like a language you actually speak. Vāedis — now go practice.

Amir Hussain is the founder of High Valyrian Translators (highvalyriantranslators.com), where he maintains free High Valyrian learning tools, a 400-word searchable dictionary, and beginner grammar guides for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon fans.