Language/Standard-estonian/Vocabulary/Family-and-friends

Standard Estonian → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Family and friends

Welcome to this lesson on Standard Estonian Vocabulary, focusing on the essential words and phrases related to family and friends. Understanding how to describe your family and relationships is a fundamental step in mastering any language. In Estonian, family ties and friendships play a crucial role in social interactions, giving you a deeper insight into the culture and everyday life of Estonians.

In this lesson, we will explore:

• The vocabulary related to different family members.

• Words to describe friends and social connections.

• Practical examples to help you understand and remember the vocabulary.

• Exercises to practice using the new words in context.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to confidently talk about your family and friends in Estonian!

Family Vocabulary

Understanding family vocabulary is essential, as family is often the center of social life in Estonia. Here are some key terms you'll need:

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English
ema	ˈɛ.mɑ	mother
isa	ˈi.sɑ	father
poeg	ˈpo.ɛɡ	son
tütar	ˈty.tɑr	daughter
vend	ˈvɛnd	brother
õde	ˈʊ.dɛ	sister
vanaisa	ˈvɑ.nɑ.i.sɑ	grandfather
vanaema	ˈvɑ.nɑ.ɛ.mɑ	grandmother
onu	ˈo.nu	uncle
tädi	ˈtæ.di	aunt
nõbu	ˈnɤ.bu	cousin
pereliige	ˈpɛ.rɛ.liː.ɡɛ	family member
perekond	ˈpɛ.rɛ.kɔnd	family
abikaasa	ˈɑ.bi.kɑː.sɑ	spouse
poiss-sõber	ˈpɔj̞sˈsɨ.bɛr	boyfriend
tüdruk-sõber	ˈty.dɾʊkˈsɨ.bɛr	girlfriend
lapselapsed	ˈlɑ.ps.ɛ.lɑ.pɛd	children
sugulased	ˈsu.ɡu.lɑ.sɛd	relatives
lähedased	ˈlɛh.ɛ.dɑ.sɛd	close ones
pere	ˈpɛ.rɛ	family
vanemad	ˈvɑ.nɛ.mɑd	parents

Friends Vocabulary

Now let's delve into vocabulary related to friends and social connections. Knowing how to talk about your friends is just as important:

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English
sõber	ˈsɨ.bɛr	friend
parim sõber	ˈpɑ.rɪm ˈsɨ.bɛr	best friend
tuttav	ˈtut.tɑv	acquaintance
sõpruskond	ˈsɨ.prus.kɔnd	friend group
naaber	ˈnɑː.bɛr	neighbor
kolleeg	kɔˈlɛːɡ	colleague
tuttavlik	ˈtut.tɑ.vlik	familiar
sõbranna	ˈsɨ.brɑ.nɑ	female friend
sõbermees	ˈsɨ.bɛr.meːs	male friend
lemmik	ˈlɛm.ik	favorite
kamp	kɑmp	gang/group of friends
mure	ˈmu.re	worry (can be used in a friendship context)
toetaja	ˈtɔ.ɛ.tɑ.jɑ	supporter
kaaslane	ˈkɑːs.lɑ.ne	companion
seltskond	ˈsɛlt͡s.kɔnd	company
sõbralikkus	ˈsɨ.brɑ.lik.kus	friendliness
üksteise toetamine	ˈyks.tɛ.isɛ ˈtɔ.ɛ.tɑ.mine	supporting each other
sõprus	ˈsɨ.prus	friendship
usaldus	ˈu.sɑl.dus	trust
koosolek	ˈkoː.sɔ.lɛk	meeting (with friends)
vestlus	ˈvɛs.tlʊs	conversation

Important Phrases

To enrich your vocabulary further, here are some important phrases you can use when talking about family and friends:

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English
Kuidas sul läheb?	ˈkʊi.dɑs sʊl ˈlæ.hɛb?	How are you?
See on minu pere.	sɛ ˈon ˈmi.nu ˈpɛ.rɛ	This is my family.
Mul on palju sõpru.	mʊl ɔn ˈpɑl.jʊ ˈsɨ.pru	I have many friends.
Me oleme head sõbrad.	mɛ ˈo.lɛ.me ˈhɛ.ɑd ˈsɨ.brɑd	We are good friends.
Ta on mu vend.	tɑ ɔn mʊ ˈvɛnd	He is my brother.
Ma armastan oma ema.	mɑ ˈɑr.mɑs.tɑn ˈo.mɑ ˈɛ.mɑ	I love my mother.
Me kohtume järgmisel nädalal.	mɛ ˈkoht.ʊ.me ˈjɛrɡ.mi.sel ˈnɑ.dɑ.lɑl	We will meet next week.
Keda sa armastad?	ˈkɛ.dɑ sɑ ˈɑr.mɑs.tɑd?	Who do you love?
Minu sõber on väga naljakas.	ˈmi.nu ˈsɨ.bɛr ɔn ˈvæ.ɡɑ ˈnɑl.jɑ.kɑs	My friend is very funny.
Ta on minu parim sõber.	tɑ ɔn ˈmi.nu ˈpɑ.rɪm ˈsɨ.bɛr	He is my best friend.

Practice Exercises

Now that you've learned the vocabulary, it's time to practice! Here are 10 exercises to help you apply what you've learned:

1. Translate the following sentences from English to Estonian:

• My sister is a teacher.

• They are my parents.

• She is my best friend.

• I have a brother and a sister.

• My grandmother is very kind.

2. Fill in the blanks with the correct family member:

• _______ is my father. (Use "isa")

• _______ is my mother. (Use "ema")

• _______ is my uncle. (Use "onu")

• _______ is my cousin. (Use "nõbu")

• _______ are my grandparents. (Use "vanaema" and "vanaisa")

3. Match the Estonian words to their English translations:

• a) sõber

• b) vend

• c) poeg

• d) õde

• e) isa

1. brother

2. father

3. sister

4. son

5. friend

4. Create sentences using the following vocabulary:

• Use the words: "sõber," "pereliige," and "toetaja" in a sentence.

5. Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:

• Ta on minu _______ (sõber/sõbranna).

• Minu _______ (vanemad/vanaisa) elavad Tallinnas.

• Mul on üks _______ (õde/vend).

6. Write a short paragraph about your family using at least five vocabulary words you have learned.

7. Identify the verbs in the following sentences:

• Ma armastan oma sõpra.

• Me kohtume homme.

• Ta on väga lahke.

8. Answer the following questions in Estonian:

• Kas sul on õdesid või vendi?

• Kes on sinu parim sõber?

• Kuidas on su pere?

9. Fill in the blanks in the conversation:

• A: Kuidas sul _______? (läheb)

• B: Mul _______ hästi. (läheb)

• A: Kas sa _______ oma peret? (armastad)

10. Write a dialogue between two friends discussing their families. Use at least 5 vocabulary words.

Solutions and Explanations

1.

• Minu õde on õpetaja.

• Nad on mu vanemad.

• Ta on mu parim sõber.

• Mul on vend ja õde.

• Mu vanaema on väga lahke.

2.

• Isa is my father.

• Ema is my mother.

• Onu is my uncle.

• Nõbu is my cousin.

• Vanaema and vanaisa are my grandparents.

3.

• a) 5: sõber - friend

• b) 1: vend - brother

• c) 4: poeg - son

• d) 3: õde - sister

• e) 2: isa - father

4. Example sentences:

• Minu sõber on suurepärane pereliige ja ta on alati minu toetaja.

5.

• Ta on minu sõber.

• Minu vanemad elavad Tallinnas.

• Mul on üks vend.

6. Example paragraph:

• Minu perekond on väga tähtis. Mul on üks vend ja õde. Mu isa töötab IT-ala ning ema on õpetaja. Me armastame koos aega veeta.

7.

• armastan, kohtume, on

8.

• Jah, mul on õdesid ja vendi.

• Mu parim sõber on John.

• Mu pere on suur ja toetav.

9.

• A: Kuidas sul läheb?

• B: Mul läheb hästi.

• A: Kas sa armastad oma peret?

10. Example dialogue:

• A: Tere! Kuidas sul läheb?

• B: Tere! Mul läheb hästi, aitäh. Kuidas sinu pere?

• A: Nad on head. Mul on vend ja õde.

• B: Mu parim sõber on ka mu vend.

Congratulations on completing this lesson on family and friends in Standard Estonian! Keep practicing, and soon you'll feel more comfortable using these words in everyday conversations.

Table of Contents - Standard Estonian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Introduction to Estonian

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

  ---

Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Cases
• Personal Pronouns

  ---

Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

  ---

Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

  ---

Daily Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Free Time

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Declension
• Adverbs

  ---

Food and Dining

• Food and Drinks
• Eating Out

  ---

Estonian Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

  ---

Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

  ---

Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

  ---

At Home and Work

• Home and Furniture
• Work and Professions

  ---

Estonian History

• Historical Overview
• Estonian Language History

  ---

Negation and Questions

• Negation
• Question Words and Formation

Other Lessons

• Time
• Feelings and Emotions
• Days, months and seasons
• Greetings and introductions
• Clothes
• Count to 10
• Languages
• Countries
• Food and drink
• Family