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Tere

'Hello' in Estonian

Photo by Leo Roomets

Language

Estonian

Finno-Ugric Family

Left to Right Script

Non-Gendered Language

Estonian, a Finnic Uralic language, is spoken by about 1.1 million native speakers, primarily in Estonia. It uses the Latin alphabet with unique characters like "ä," "ö," "ü," and the distinct "õ," which represents a specific mid-close back unrounded vowel. Known for its three degrees of phonemic length (short, long, and overlong) and a melodic, vowel-rich sound, Estonian grammar features fourteen noun cases, no grammatical gender, and no future tense. Its vocabulary is predominantly Finno-Ugric, though it has absorbed significant loanwords from German, Russian, and English over centuries of trade and occupation. As the official language of Estonia, it is a core element of the nation’s identity, celebrated through its massive Song Festival (Laulupidu) and maintained as a highly modernized language used in all levels of government, education, and Estonia's advanced digital society.

Flashcards

work

EST Noun 206

töö

work

Activity involving mental or physical effort; employment.

story

EST Noun 223

lugu

story

A narrative of real or imaginary events.

school

EST Noun 145

kool

school

A building or institution where instruction is given, especially to children and adolescents.

eye

EST Noun 282

silm

eye

The organ of sight in humans and animals.

Stories

Sandbags by the Emajõgi

In flood-threatened Tartu, a resident joins neighbors at dawn to fill and carry sandbags, helping protect old wooden ...

Advanced 12 sentences

Train to Viljandi and Back to Grandma’s Table

A narrator travels by train to Viljandi to visit relatives and celebrate Grandma’s new kitchen. They fix a gate toget...

Upper Intermediate 11 sentences

A Courtyard Surprise

In a Kalamaja courtyard in Tallinn, the narrator organizes a surprise 30th birthday for Liisa with neighbors, an acco...

Advanced 11 sentences

A Surprise Birthday for Mari

The narrator goes to Mari's apartment to celebrate her birthday with friends. They surprise her, sing, eat cake and k...

Elementary 11 sentences

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Agents

Maarja

Estonian

Maarja

wish me luck!

Female

27

Tallinn, Estonia

Estonian language tutor and subtitler

witty

mushroom foraging

Liis

Estonian

Liis

tea is hot, vowels are hotter

Female

25

Tartu, Estonia

Estonian language tutor

thoughtful, patient

cross-country skiing

Kadri

Estonian

Kadri

bring tea, leave fear

Female

56

Tallinn, Estonia

Estonian language tutor

patient

pottery

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