How to Say Hello in High Valyrian
The High Valyrian word for “hello” is rytsas (pronounced RIT-sahs, approximately). It is the standard greeting in the language David J. Peterson created for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, listed among the core everyday expressions in his official language materials.
Every language learner starts with “hello”, and High Valyrian is no exception. This guide covers the pronunciation (including one tricky vowel sound), how to use rytsas in real greetings, what to say back, and how it compares to the more famous Valyrian greetings from the shows.
How to Pronounce Rytsas
Rytsas is short and punchy: two syllables, ryt-sas, with the stress on the first syllable. Say it approximately like RIT-sahs.
The one sound to watch is the y. In High Valyrian, “y” is not pronounced like the English “y” in “yes”. It is closer to the French “u” in “tu”: round your lips as if to say “oo” but try to say “ee” instead. English speakers usually approximate it as a short “i” (as in “bit”), which is perfectly understandable, so do not let it stop you from speaking.
Practice tips:
- Keep it brisk. Rytsas is a quick, bright greeting, not a long formal address.
- Do not pronounce the final “s” like a “z”. Both s-sounds are crisp and voiceless.
- Say it with a smile in your voice. Greetings carry tone, even in invented languages.
Using Rytsas in Conversation
Rytsas works the way “hello” does in English: as an opener, a way to get attention, or a friendly acknowledgment when you meet someone. The documented vocabulary also gives us the natural follow-up question, so you can build a tiny conversation right away.
Asking how someone is: Skorkydoso glaesa? (skor-kih-DOH-soh GLY-sah), meaning “How are you?” This uses the verb glaesagon, “to live”, so you are poetically asking “how do you live?”.
Answering: Syri glaesan. (sih-REE GLY-sahn), meaning “I am good” or “I live well”.
Put together, a complete first exchange looks like this:
Rytsas! Skorkydoso glaesa? Hello! How are you?
Syri glaesan, kirimvose. I am good, thank you. Hello!
Rytsas, kirimvose. Hello, thank you. (A warm combined greeting, useful when someone greets you first and does you a kindness at once.)
Every word in these sentences is documented in Peterson’s materials, so you can use them with confidence.
Rytsas vs. the Famous Valyrian Greetings
New fans sometimes expect every Valyrian greeting to sound as dramatic as valar morghulis (“all men must die”). That phrase is indeed used as a customary greeting, but specifically a Braavosi one, traditionally answered with valar dohaeris (“all men must serve”). It carries the weight of the Faceless Men and the House of Black and White, which makes it a strange choice for saying hi to a friend.
Rytsas is the neutral, everyday alternative. Think of it this way:
- Rytsas: your normal “hello”. Friendly, neutral, always appropriate.
- Valar morghulis: a ritual Braavosi greeting with dark philosophical baggage. Fun at a convention, odd at a dinner table.
If you want the full story on the most famous Valyrian exchange of all, read our breakdown of what Valar Dohaeris really means.
A Note on Greetings in the Shows
Rytsas belongs to the everyday vocabulary Peterson developed for the language, the same word-hoard taught in the Duolingo High Valyrian course and listed in his phrasebooks. It was not built for a single dramatic scene, which is exactly why it is so practical: it is the word ordinary Valyrian speakers would actually use a dozen times a day.
That ordinariness is a feature, not a flaw. When Daenerys addresses crowds in Astapor or Meereen, the power of the moment rests on her commanding a complete, working language, and complete languages need humble words like “hello” just as much as they need “dracarys”. Learning rytsas puts you one step closer to that fluency, and it pairs naturally with farewells, which we cover in our guide to how to say goodbye in High Valyrian.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say hello in High Valyrian?
Say rytsas (RIT-sahs, approximately). It is the standard High Valyrian greeting in David J. Peterson’s official language materials.
How do you pronounce rytsas?
Approximately RIT-sahs, with stress on the first syllable. The “y” sounds like the French “u” in “tu”; English speakers can approximate it with a short “i” and still be understood.
How do you ask “how are you” in High Valyrian?
Ask Skorkydoso glaesa? (skor-kih-DOH-soh GLY-sah). It uses the verb glaesagon (“to live”), so it poetically asks “how do you live?”. Answer with Syri glaesan (“I am good”).
Is Valar Morghulis a way to say hello?
It is used as a greeting in Braavos, traditionally answered with “valar dohaeris”, but it literally means “all men must die” and carries dark ritual weight. For a normal, friendly hello, rytsas is the right word.
Keep Learning
You can now open any conversation in High Valyrian. Next, learn to close one gracefully with how to say goodbye in High Valyrian, add warmth with how to say thank you (kirimvose), or declare your devotion with how to say “I love you” in High Valyrian. Then test your new greetings in our free High Valyrian translator.
For more everyday expressions, browse our collection of High Valyrian phrases or check any word in the High Valyrian dictionary.
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