Language/Standard-estonian/Vocabulary/Telling-Time

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Standard Estonian → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Telling Time

Welcome to the lesson on Telling Time in Standard Estonian! Understanding how to express time is crucial in any language, as it helps you navigate daily activities, plan meetings, and engage in conversations. Whether you’re scheduling a coffee date or catching a bus, knowing how to tell the time is essential. In this lesson, we will explore various aspects of telling time in Estonian, including how to express hours, minutes, and parts of the day.

We'll break the lesson down into several sections:

• The basics of telling time

• Vocabulary related to time

• Asking and answering questions about time

• Practical exercises to reinforce your learning

So, let’s dive in!

The Basics of Telling Time

Telling time in Estonian is relatively straightforward, but there are a few unique aspects to keep in mind. Here’s how you can express time in Estonian:

1. Hours: The hours in Estonian are expressed in a 24-hour format. For instance, 1 PM is expressed as "13."

2. Minutes: Minutes are added after the hour for more precise time. For example, 1:30 PM is "13:30."

3. Parts of the Day: Estonian also has specific terms for different parts of the day, which we will discuss later.

Let's look at some examples of telling time in Estonian:

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English
kell üks	kɛl ʏks	one o'clock
kell kaks	kɛl kɑks	two o'clock
kell kolm	kɛl kɔlm	three o'clock
kell neli	kɛl nɛli	four o'clock
kell viis	kɛl viːs	five o'clock
kell kuus	kɛl kuːs	six o'clock
kell seitse	kɛl seɪtse	seven o'clock
kell kaheksa	kɛl kɑhɛksɑ	eight o'clock
kell üheksa	kɛl ʏhɛksɑ	nine o'clock
kell kümme	kɛl kʏmme	ten o'clock
kell üksteist	kɛl ʏksteɪst	eleven o'clock
kell kaksteist	kɛl kɑksteɪst	twelve o'clock

Vocabulary Related to Time

Now that we understand the basics of telling time, it’s important to learn some additional vocabulary that will help you in conversations about time. Here are some key terms:

• hommik (morning)

• päev (day)

• õhtu (evening)

• öö (night)

• minut (minute)

• tund (hour)

Here’s a table with these terms:

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English
hommik	hɔmːik	morning
päev	pæːv	day
õhtu	ʊhːtu	evening
öö	ɤː	night
minut	mɪnʊt	minute
tund	tʊnd	hour

Asking and Answering Questions About Time

When you want to ask someone for the time, you can use the phrase "Mis kell on?" which translates to "What time is it?"

To answer, you simply state the time. For example:

• Q: Mis kell on? (What time is it?)

• A: Kell kaks. (It's two o'clock.)

Let’s look at some more examples of how to ask and answer about the time:

Question (Estonian)	Answer (Estonian)	English
Mis kell on?	Kell neli.	What time is it? It's four o'clock.
Mis kell on?	Kell viis ja kümme.	What time is it? It's five ten.
Mis kell on?	Kell seitse ja viisteist.	What time is it? It's seven fifteen.
Mis kell on?	Kell kaheksa ja pool üheksa.	What time is it? It's eight thirty.
Mis kell on?	Kell kümme ja kakskümmend.	What time is it? It's ten twenty.

Practical Exercises

Now that you have a good understanding of how to tell time in Estonian, let’s put your knowledge to the test with some exercises!

1. Translate the following times into Estonian:

• 2:30

• 5:45

• 8:15

• 12:00

• 3:20

2. Write the time in English for the following Estonian phrases:

• Kell kuus ja kakskümmend

• Kell üheksa

• Kell kolm ja viiskümmend viis

• Kell kümme ja viiskümmend

• Kell seitse ja kakskümmend viis

3. Role-play scenario: In pairs, practice asking each other the time using "Mis kell on?" and responding with the correct time.

4. Fill in the blanks: Complete the sentences with the correct time.

• Mis kell on? Kell _____ (1:00).

• Mis kell on? Kell _____ (4:30).

• Mis kell on? Kell _____ (10:15).

5. Match the questions with the correct answers:

• Q: Mis kell on?

• A1: Kell kaheksa.

• A2: Kell kolm ja kakskümmend viis.

• A3: Kell neli ja viisteist.

6. Time conversion: Convert the following times from 12-hour format to 24-hour format:

• 9:00 PM

• 7:30 AM

• 1:15 PM

7. Create your own dialogue: Write a short dialogue between two friends discussing their plans for the day, including at least three times.

8. Listening exercise: Listen to a native speaker telling the time and write down what you hear.

9. Multiple-choice quiz: Create a quiz with three options for each question about telling time. For example, "What does 'kell seitse' mean?" (A) Seven o'clock (B) Eight o'clock (C) Nine o'clock.

10. Daily routine: Write a short paragraph about your daily routine, including at least five different times.

Detailed Solutions and Explanations

Let’s go through the solutions for the exercises to solidify your understanding!

1. Translate the following times into Estonian:

• 2:30 → Kell kaks ja kolmkümmend.

• 5:45 → Kell viis ja neljakümmend viis.

• 8:15 → Kell kaheksa ja viisteist.

• 12:00 → Kell kaksteist.

• 3:20 → Kell kolm ja kakskümmend.

2. Write the time in English for the following Estonian phrases:

• Kell kuus ja kakskümmend → Six twenty.

• Kell üheksa → Nine o'clock.

• Kell kolm ja viiskümmend viis → Three fifty-five.

• Kell kümme ja viiskümmend → Ten fifty.

• Kell seitse ja kakskümmend viis → Seven twenty-five.

3. Role-play scenario: This exercise is best done in pairs, where one student asks and the other responds.

4. Fill in the blanks:

• Mis kell on? Kell üks (1:00).

• Mis kell on? Kell neli ja kolmkümmend (4:30).

• Mis kell on? Kell kümme ja viisteist (10:15).

5. Match the questions with the correct answers:

• Q: Mis kell on?

• A1: Kell kaheksa. (Correct)

• A2: Kell kolm ja kakskümmend viis. (Correct)

• A3: Kell neli ja viisteist. (Correct)

6. Time conversion:

• 9:00 PM → 21:00

• 7:30 AM → 07:30

• 1:15 PM → 13:15

7. Create your own dialogue: This is subjective and will vary from student to student.

8. Listening exercise: This will depend on the material used.

9. Multiple-choice quiz:

• Q: What does 'kell seitse' mean?

• A) Seven o'clock (Correct)

• B) Eight o'clock

• C) Nine o'clock

10. Daily routine: This is subjective and will vary from student to student.

This lesson on telling time in Standard Estonian has equipped you with the essential vocabulary and structures you need to navigate conversations about time. With practice, you will become fluent in this skill, making your interactions in Estonian much smoother and more engaging.

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

• Airport
• Idiomatic Expressions
• Drinks
• Food
• Hobbies and Free Time
• Modes of Transportation
• Basic Phrases
• Animal
• How to Say Hello and Greetings
• Work and Professions

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