Before you can speak Eldaran, it is important to understand its foundations. This chapter will guide you through the essential principles of the language: its sounds, its structure, and how words work together to form sentences. Eldaran was created to feel ancient and ceremonial, yet it is deliberately simple, so anyone can learn it.
Take your time as you read this chapter. Speak the examples aloud. Let the rhythm of the language settle in your mind and mouth.
1. What Eldaran Is
Eldaran is a constructed language, invented for communication, creativity, and immersion. It is not part of any real-world culture or nation. While it draws inspiration from ancient tongues and fantasy worlds, it is entirely original.
The language was built with three main goals in mind. First, it should sound ancient, ceremonial, and timeless. Second, it should follow simple, predictable rules. Third, it should be practical—easy to speak, easy to write, and easy to remember.
You do not need any prior knowledge of linguistics to learn Eldaran. If you can read and pronounce basic syllables, you can learn this language.
2. Sounds and Pronunciation
Eldaran is a phonetic language. This means every word is pronounced exactly as it is written. There are no silent letters, and vowels always have the same sound.
The vowel a is pronounced like ah, as in father.
The vowel e is pronounced like eh, as in bed.
The vowel i is pronounced like ee, as in machine.
The vowel o is pronounced like oh, as in stone.
The vowel u is pronounced like oo, as in rule.
These sounds are consistent and never change.
Consonants are pronounced clearly, similar to English, but each one is deliberate. Letters like b, d, g, h, k, l, m, n, p, r, s, t, and v are pronounced as expected.
Some consonants have special sounds. Th is soft, like in think. Sh is pronounced like shadow. Zh is pronounced like the s in vision, and is mostly used in ceremonial or poetic words.
Every consonant is pronounced. There are no exceptions, and this gives Eldaran a calm, flowing rhythm. Stress is usually placed on the first syllable of every word, so Eldaran is spoken as EL-da-ran.
3. Writing System
Eldaran can be written in two ways. The first is the transliterated script, which uses the letters of the Latin alphabet. This is the version used in this book. The second is the runic script, inspired by stone carvings and ancient inscriptions. The runic version is mostly decorative, though it can be learned once you are comfortable with the sounds and words.
You do not need to learn the runes to speak Eldaran. The transliterated version is enough to communicate fluently.
4. Sentence Structure
Eldaran sentences follow a consistent structure: Subject, Object, Verb. This is different from English, but very easy to follow.
The subject is the person or thing doing the action. The object is what the action is done to. The verb is the action itself.
For example, the sentence "Mi manu tan-o" literally means "I food eat", which in English becomes "I eat food."
Another example is "Sa shal loth-a", which literally means "She tree saw", or "She saw the tree."
This structure never changes, making it simple to build correct sentences.
5. Pronouns
Eldaran pronouns are straightforward and gender-neutral.
Mi means I.
Ti means you (singular).
Sa can mean he, she, or it, depending on context.
Min means we.
Tin means you (plural).
Sin means they.
Context is always enough to understand who is being referred to.
6. Nouns and Plurals
Nouns in Eldaran remain the same unless you want to indicate more than one of something. To form the plural, simply add -im to the noun.
For example, ket means stone, and ketim means stones.
Shal means tree, and shalim means trees.
Dom means house, and domim means houses.
There are no irregular plurals, which makes this system very predictable.
7. Articles
Eldaran uses a single article: te. This works like the in English and is placed before a noun.
For example, te ket means the stone, and te dom means the house.
There is no word for a or an; whether a noun is specific or general is understood from context.
8. Possession
To show ownership, add -sul to the owner.
For example, mi-sul dom means my house.
Sa-sul ket means his stone, her stone, or its stone.
Min-sul shal means our tree.
This form never changes and is always clear.
9. Verbs and Tense
In Eldaran, verbs do not change depending on the subject. Instead, time is indicated with a suffix.
-o indicates present or general tense.
-a indicates past tense.
-i indicates future tense.
For example, the verb loth means to see.
Loth-o means see or am seeing.
Loth-a means saw.
Loth-i means will see.
A few example sentences:
"Mi loth-o te shal" – "I see the tree."
"Sa loth-a te dom" – "She saw the house."
"Min loth-i te sor" – "We will see the sun."
10. Negation
To make a sentence negative, simply place na before the verb.
For example:
"Mi na az-o" – "I do not know."
"Sa na var-a" – "He or she did not go."
Nothing else in the sentence changes.
11. Questions
Questions are formed by placing ka at the end of a sentence.
For example:
"Ti loth-o ka?" – "Do you see?"
"Mi dom var-i ka?" – "Will I go home?"
Word order stays the same as normal sentences.
12. Speaking Eldaran Naturally
Eldaran is meant to be spoken aloud. Words should flow deliberately, with calm intention. Imagine each word as if it were carved into stone before being spoken. Speak slowly and clearly. Repeat sentences aloud to train your ear and tongue.
Practice building short sentences daily, using the verbs and nouns you learn. Even simple phrases carry weight and meaning in Eldaran.
13. Closing Thoughts for Chapter One
The basics of Eldaran are simple, consistent, and logical. Once you master this foundation, you can begin forming complex sentences, speaking naturally, and even writing your own phrases, chants, and proverbs.
Remember this guiding principle of the language:
Words endure when they are spoken with purpose.
Eldaran was created for exactly that reason.