Yes, no and the essentials in Estonian
The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it. Play the ten Estonian words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Estonian phrases in this lesson
- Jahyah
- Yes
- Eiay
- No
- Okeioh-KAY
- Okay
- Ma ei saa arumah ay sah AH-roo
- I don't understand
- Kas te räägite inglise keelt?kas teh RAE-gee-teh ING-lee-seh kaylt
- Do you speak English?
- Kas te saaksite korrata?kas teh SAAK-si-teh KOR-rah-tah
- Can you repeat that?
- Aeglasemalt, palunAY-glah-seh-malt PAH-loon
- Slowly, please
- Mis see on?mis say on
- What is this?
- Mul on vaja...mool on VAH-yah
- I need...
- Kas te saaksite mind aidata?kas teh SAAK-si-teh mint AI-dah-tah
- Can you help me?
Short and clear. In casual speech Estonians sometimes say just a soft "jah" barely above a murmur, or give a small nod. Do not be put off by low energy; it is not rudeness.
Pronounced like the letter "A" in English. Firm and polite when said simply on its own. You can soften a refusal by adding tänan (thanks): Ei, tänan.
Borrowed directly from English, widely understood and used by all ages. A safe neutral acknowledgment in any context.
Saa aru literally means "get/receive sense." Follow it with Kas te räägite inglise keelt? to ask about English. A confused look while saying this also communicates the message effectively.
Formal version using te (you, polite). In Tallinn especially, most younger people and service staff speak excellent English, so this question is often answered with a relieved "yes." The ä in räägite is like the a in "cat."
Literally "more slowly, please".
Literally "for me there is need".