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Why learn Estonian?
Estonian is one of the 67 languages you can learn on Lingocard with frequency-ranked flashcards, spaced repetition, and live speaking partners. Build vocabulary and pronunciation at your own pace, on web and mobile.
Estonian is written in the Latin script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Estonian is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. Estonian belongs to the Uralic family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Finnish or Hungarian.
The 50 most common Estonian words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every Estonian sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | olema | OH-leh-mah | be |
| 2 | ja | yah | and |
| 3 | see | seh | this |
| 4 | ei | ay | not (negation) |
| 5 | mis | mis | what |
| 6 | et | et | that (conjunction) |
| 7 | tema | TEH-mah | he / she |
| 8 | saama | SAH-mah | get |
| 9 | aga | AH-gah | but |
| 10 | kui | kooy | if |
| 11 | nii | nee | so |
| 12 | ka | kah | too |
| 13 | tulema | TOO-leh-mah | come |
| 14 | tegema | TEH-geh-mah | do |
| 15 | kes | kes | who |
| 16 | aasta | AHS-tah | year |
| 17 | ütlema | EWT-leh-mah | say |
| 18 | kõik | kuhyk | all |
| 19 | teadma | TEH-ahd-mah | know |
| 20 | aeg | ah-eg | time |
| 21 | päev | pa-ev | day |
| 22 | hea | heh-ah | good |
| 23 | suur | soor | large |
| 24 | oma | OH-mah | own |
| 25 | meie | MEH-yeh | our |
| 26 | sina | SEE-nah | you |
| 27 | mina | MEE-nah | I |
| 28 | nemad | NEH-mahd | they |
| 29 | nüüd | newd | now |
| 30 | veel | vehl | still |
| 31 | juba | YOO-bah | already |
| 32 | minema | MEE-neh-mah | go |
| 33 | nägema | NA-geh-mah | see |
| 34 | andma | AHND-mah | give |
| 35 | uus | oos | new |
| 36 | asi | AH-see | thing |
| 37 | inimene | EE-nee-meh-neh | person |
| 38 | palju | PAHL-yoo | many |
| 39 | kaks | kahks | two |
| 40 | esimene | EH-see-meh-neh | first |
| 41 | tahtma | TAHHT-mah | want |
| 42 | kus | koos | where |
| 43 | sest | sest | because |
| 44 | siis | sees | then |
| 45 | seal | seh-ahl | there |
| 46 | koos | kohs | together |
| 47 | töö | tuh | work |
| 48 | või | vuhy | or |
| 49 | üks | ewks | one |
| 50 | elu | EH-loo | life |
Useful phrases in Estonian
- Tere · TEH-reh · Hello / Good day
- Kuidas läheb? · KOO-ee-das LAH-heb · How are you?
- Aitäh · AI-tah · Thank you
- Palun · PAH-loon · Please
- Minu nimi on... · MEE-noo NEE-mee on · My name is...
- Kus on...? · koos on · Where is...?
- Head aega · heh-ahd EYE-gah · Goodbye
- Vabandust · VAH-bahn-doost · Excuse me
- Ma ei saa aru · mah ey sah AH-roo · I don't understand
- Kas te saate mind aidata? · kahs teh SAH-teh mint AY-dah-tah · Can you help me?
- Kui palju see maksab? · koo-ee PAHL-yoo seh MAHK-sahb · How much is it?
- Homseni! · HOM-seh-nee · See you tomorrow!
Learn Estonian with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn Estonian, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global Estonian learning community
Collaborate with native Estonian speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
Are you an educator? Teach Estonian online · Create an online Estonian school · Build a Estonian curriculum
Frequently asked questions about learning Estonian
How difficult is it to learn Estonian?
How difficult Estonian is depends on your background, but every language becomes manageable with consistent daily practice. Focusing on the most frequent words first means you can understand and say a lot early on. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, Estonian is a Category III language - about 1100 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in Estonian?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn Estonian?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level in Estonian within 8-18 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 1 million people across 1 countries speak Estonian, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my Estonian vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is Estonian pronunciation hard?
Every language has a few sounds that take practice, but Estonian pronunciation becomes consistent with regular listening and speaking. Hearing the language often matters more than memorising rules.
How do I get Free Estonian speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the Estonian alphabet first?
If Estonian uses a different script, learning it early unlocks reading - and it's usually faster than people expect. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.