Learning a new language can be a fascinating journey, and Estonian, a Uralic language spoken primarily in Estonia, offers a delightful challenge to linguists and language enthusiasts. If you find yourself walking the streets of Tallinn or navigating the Estonian countryside, knowing how to express directions and locations will be incredibly useful. Here, we present you with essential navigational terms in Estonian along with their definitions and examples to help you get around.

Vasak
This means “left” in Estonian. Knowing your lefts and rights is fundamental when it comes to navigation.
Kas ma pean siit vasakule pöörama? – Should I turn left here?

Parem
“Parem” translates to “right.” This term, like “vasak,” is crucial for understanding and giving directions.
Hotell asub paremal pool tänavat. – The hotel is on the right side of the street.

Sirge
This term stands for “straight” in Estonian, an indispensable direction when you wish to continue forward.
Mine sirge tee peal edasi, kuni näed kirikut. – Go straight ahead until you see the church.

Tagasi
“Tagasi” means “back” or “backward.” It’s handy when retracing your steps.
Me peame minema tagasi jaama poole. – We need to go back towards the station.

Üle
This means “across” or “over” and is used when referring to moving from one side to another.
Mine üle silla, siis jõuad muuseumini. – Go across the bridge, and you’ll reach the museum.

Alla
“Alla” means “down” or “downward,” which could describe direction in terms of vertical displacement.
Mine trepist alla. – Go down the stairs.

Üles
Conversely, “üles” means “up” or “upward” for when you’re moving to a higher point.
Esimene uks üles trepist. – The first door up the stairs.

Vahe
This translates to “between” and is used to describe a relative position.
Parkla on kahe poe vahe. – The parking lot is between two shops.

Kõrval
Meaning “next to” or “beside,” it specifies immediate proximity.
Minu kodu on postkontori kõrval. – My home is next to the post office.

Vastas
“Vastas” means “opposite” and is helpful when something faces another or is across from it.
Pank on hotelli vastas. – The bank is opposite the hotel.

Sisse
“Sisse” translates to “into” when you are entering a place or space.
Lähme restorani sisse. – Let’s go into the restaurant.

Välja
Conversely, “välja” means “out” when you are leaving or going outside of a place.
Lähme hoonest välja. – Let’s go out of the building.

Lähedal
“Lähedal” stands for “near” and is used to describe proximity.
Raamatukogu on lähedal siin. – The library is near here.

Kaugel
“Kaugel” means “far,” which is useful when describing something that is not close by.
Bussipeatus on üsna kaugel siit. – The bus stop is quite far from here.

Paremale
This term refers to the direction “to the right.”
Tee pööre paremale järgmisest ristmikust. – Take a turn to the right at the next intersection.

Vasakule
Similarly, “vasakule” indicates the direction “to the left.”
Majamuuseum jääb vasakule. – The house museum is to the left.

Mastering these navigational terms in Estonian will undoubtedly enhance your experience and ease your movement through Estonia’s diverse landscapes and historic cities. As with any language, practice is key, so try to use these terms as often as possible when communicating in Estonian. Bon voyage – or as Estonians say, “head reisi!”