Dwarvish Translator — Speak Like a D&D Dwarf (with Runes)
Translate English into Dwarvish the way dwarves really speak it: authentic Dwarvish words woven into gruff, ale-soaked Common. Friends become samman (shield brothers), gold becomes ae, axes become kuld, dragons become aug, and elves are still pointy-ears. Thicken the brogue, carve your words in runes inspired by the Dethek script, or seal it with a dwarven oath. Perfect for dwarf characters, Dungeon Masters, and tavern banter.
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What Is Dwarvish?
Dwarvish is the language of the dwarves of Dungeons & Dragons: miners, smiths and warriors who carve their kingdoms deep inside mountains. It is one of the standard languages any dwarf character knows, and it sounds like its speakers, full of hard consonants and guttural sounds that suit a people who value stone, steel and a well-kept grudge.
Dwarvish is really a family of dialects. Arctic dwarves speak Kurit, gold dwarves speak Riftspeak, and the gray dwarves of the Underdark speak Duergan, which has drifted far from its shield-dwarf roots. Most dwarves who live and trade among other peoples mix Common with Dwarvish, and that gruff, blended speech is exactly what this translator produces.
Dethek: The Dwarven Runes
Dwarves write in Dethek, an angular runic alphabet designed to be carved into stone and metal, where curved lines are hard to cut. It includes letters, numerals and symbols for common words. Dethek inscriptions mark the doors of dwarven holds, the hafts of axes, and the tombs of clan ancestors.
The rune-carved mode writes your words in runes inspired by the old Norse and Anglo-Saxon alphabets that dwarven scripts are modelled on. Copy and paste them anywhere: character sheets, maps, shields and props.
Common Dwarvish Expressions
| Dwarvish | English |
|---|---|
| Samman | Shield brother, trusted friend |
| Ae | Gold |
| Kuld | Axe |
| Hamar | Hammer |
| Aug | Dragon |
| Sargh | Orcs, orc-work, anything disgusting |
| Norogh | Enemies (unknown foes) |
| Raugh | Death, an ending |
| Runedar | Home, haven |
| Groht | Stone |
| Torst | Adventure, welcomed danger |
| Jargh | Idiot (also slang for halflings) |
| Gordul! | Gods forfend! (an oath) |
| Well met | Hello (dwarven Common) |
| Pointy-ears | Elves (dwarven Common) |
Dwarven Culture in a Few Words
Dwarves honor Moradin, the Soul Forger, who in legend hammered the first dwarves from metal and stone. Clan, craft and memory sit at the heart of their culture. A dwarf never forgets a debt or an insult, and great clan grudges are recorded and carried for generations. A long beard is a mark of age and pride, which is why calling someone "beardless" is an insult.
Old rivalries show up in everyday speech: elves are flighty "pointy-ears", humans are short-lived "longshanks", and orcs and goblins are ancient enemies of every hold.
How This Dwarvish Translator Works
Type your English text and the translator answers like a dwarf: real Dwarvish words such as samman (shield brother), kuld (axe) and aug (dragon), woven into gruff dwarven Common. Turn up the Brogue slider for a thicker accent, switch the Script to carve your words in runes, or add a hearty oath such as "By Moradin's beard!" or Gordul!
The Dwarvish translator is also available through the Fun Translations API for bots, character generators and virtual tabletop tools. Stone an' steel!
