50 Essential Words You Need to Know for Estonian at the A2 Level

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Learning Estonian can be an exciting journey, especially when you start to expand your vocabulary at the A2 level. At this stage, you should focus on essential words that will help you navigate everyday conversations and understand more complex sentences. To give you a head start, weโ€™ve compiled a list of 50 essential words you need to know for Estonian at the A2 level. This list covers a range of categories, including basic verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs, to ensure you get a comprehensive understanding of the language.

Basic Verbs

1. **Olema** (to be) โ€“ One of the most fundamental verbs in any language. For example: โ€œMa olen รตnnelik.โ€ (I am happy).
2. **Minema** (to go) โ€“ Useful for everyday activities. For example: โ€œMa lรคhen poodi.โ€ (I am going to the store).
3. **Tulema** (to come) โ€“ Often used in conversations. For example: โ€œTa tuleb homme.โ€ (He/She is coming tomorrow).
4. **Tegema** (to do/make) โ€“ A versatile verb for various contexts. For example: โ€œMa teen sรผรผa.โ€ (I am cooking).
5. **รœtlema** (to say) โ€“ Essential for communication. For example: โ€œMa รผtlen sulle.โ€ (I will tell you).
6. **Nรคgema** (to see) โ€“ Important for describing experiences. For example: โ€œMa nรคen sind.โ€ (I see you).
7. **Kuulma** (to hear) โ€“ Useful in many contexts. For example: โ€œKas sa kuulsid?โ€ (Did you hear?).
8. **Panema** (to put) โ€“ Often used in daily activities. For example: โ€œMa panen selle siia.โ€ (I put it here).
9. **Vรตtma** (to take) โ€“ Another practical verb. For example: โ€œMa vรตtan selle.โ€ (I will take this).
10. **Andma** (to give) โ€“ Essential for interactions. For example: โ€œMa annan sulle raamatu.โ€ (I will give you the book).

Common Nouns

11. **Inimene** (person) โ€“ Fundamental for discussing people. For example: โ€œSee inimene on sรตbralik.โ€ (This person is friendly).
12. **Aeg** (time) โ€“ Crucial for planning and scheduling. For example: โ€œMul pole aega.โ€ (I have no time).
13. **Koht** (place) โ€“ Important for describing locations. For example: โ€œSee on ilus koht.โ€ (This is a beautiful place).
14. **Pรคev** (day) โ€“ Useful for talking about time. For example: โ€œTรคna on ilus pรคev.โ€ (Today is a beautiful day).
15. **Nรคdal** (week) โ€“ Important for planning. For example: โ€œJรคrgmine nรคdal on kiire.โ€ (Next week is busy).
16. **Aasta** (year) โ€“ Useful for discussing longer periods. For example: โ€œSee aasta on olnud hea.โ€ (This year has been good).
17. **Laps** (child) โ€“ Important for family contexts. For example: โ€œMu laps lรคheb kooli.โ€ (My child is going to school).
18. **Sรตber** (friend) โ€“ Essential for social interactions. For example: โ€œTa on mu sรตber.โ€ (He/She is my friend).
19. **Kodu** (home) โ€“ Fundamental for discussing living situations. For example: โ€œMa lรคhen koju.โ€ (I am going home).
20. **Tรถรถ** (work) โ€“ Crucial for discussing occupations. For example: โ€œMa otsin tรถรถd.โ€ (I am looking for work).

Adjectives

21. **Suur** (big) โ€“ Useful for descriptions. For example: โ€œSee on suur maja.โ€ (This is a big house).
22. **Vรคike** (small) โ€“ Also useful for descriptions. For example: โ€œSee on vรคike koer.โ€ (This is a small dog).
23. **Hea** (good) โ€“ A common adjective. For example: โ€œSee on hea raamat.โ€ (This is a good book).
24. **Halb** (bad) โ€“ The opposite of good. For example: โ€œSee on halb idee.โ€ (This is a bad idea).
25. **Ilus** (beautiful) โ€“ Often used in compliments. For example: โ€œSa oled ilus.โ€ (You are beautiful).
26. **Kallis** (expensive) โ€“ Useful for shopping. For example: โ€œSee on kallis.โ€ (This is expensive).
27. **Odav** (cheap) โ€“ The opposite of expensive. For example: โ€œSee on odav.โ€ (This is cheap).
28. **Raske** (difficult/heavy) โ€“ Useful in various contexts. For example: โ€œSee รผlesanne on raske.โ€ (This task is difficult).
29. **Kerge** (easy/light) โ€“ The opposite of difficult/heavy. For example: โ€œSee on kerge.โ€ (This is easy/light).
30. **Kiire** (fast) โ€“ Useful for describing speed. For example: โ€œTa on vรคga kiire.โ€ (He/She is very fast).

Adverbs

31. **Tรคna** (today) โ€“ Crucial for discussing the present. For example: โ€œTรคna on reede.โ€ (Today is Friday).
32. **Homme** (tomorrow) โ€“ Important for planning. For example: โ€œMa lรคhen homme.โ€ (I am going tomorrow).
33. **Eile** (yesterday) โ€“ Useful for discussing the past. For example: โ€œEile oli hea pรคev.โ€ (Yesterday was a good day).
34. **Kohe** (immediately) โ€“ Useful for urgent situations. For example: โ€œMa teen seda kohe.โ€ (I will do it immediately).
35. **Vรคga** (very) โ€“ Commonly used for emphasis. For example: โ€œSee on vรคga hea.โ€ (This is very good).
36. **Tรคielikult** (completely) โ€“ Useful for expressing totality. For example: โ€œMa olen tรคielikult nรตus.โ€ (I completely agree).
37. **Aeglaselt** (slowly) โ€“ Useful for describing speed. For example: โ€œRรครคgi aeglaselt.โ€ (Speak slowly).
38. **Hรคsti** (well) โ€“ Commonly used for describing actions. For example: โ€œTa teeb seda hรคsti.โ€ (He/She does it well).
39. **Halvasti** (badly) โ€“ The opposite of well. For example: โ€œTa teeb seda halvasti.โ€ (He/She does it badly).
40. **Seal** (there) โ€“ Useful for indicating location. For example: โ€œTa on seal.โ€ (He/She is there).

Pronouns and Prepositions

41. **Ma** (I) โ€“ The first-person singular pronoun. For example: โ€œMa olen siin.โ€ (I am here).
42. **Sa** (you) โ€“ The second-person singular pronoun. For example: โ€œSa oled kena.โ€ (You are nice).
43. **Ta** (he/she) โ€“ The third-person singular pronoun. For example: โ€œTa on รตnnelik.โ€ (He/She is happy).
44. **Meie** (we) โ€“ The first-person plural pronoun. For example: โ€œMeie oleme siin.โ€ (We are here).
45. **Teie** (you, plural) โ€“ The second-person plural pronoun. For example: โ€œTeie olete lahked.โ€ (You are kind, plural).
46. **Nad** (they) โ€“ The third-person plural pronoun. For example: โ€œNad on siin.โ€ (They are here).
47. **Kus** (where) โ€“ An important question word. For example: โ€œKus sa oled?โ€ (Where are you?).
48. **Millal** (when) โ€“ Another essential question word. For example: โ€œMillal sa tuled?โ€ (When are you coming?).
49. **Miks** (why) โ€“ Useful for asking reasons. For example: โ€œMiks sa seda teed?โ€ (Why are you doing this?).
50. **Kuidas** (how) โ€“ Important for asking about methods or conditions. For example: โ€œKuidas sa seda teed?โ€ (How do you do this?).

Conclusion

By mastering these 50 essential words, you will significantly enhance your ability to communicate in Estonian at the A2 level. These words will form the foundation for more complex conversations and help you better understand the language structure. Remember, practice is key to language learning. Try to use these words in your daily conversations, write sentences, and even create short stories to reinforce your learning. Happy learning!

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