Language/Standard-estonian/Vocabulary/Numbers-and-counting

Standard Estonian Vocabulary → Introduction to Estonian vocabulary → Numbers and counting

Introduction

Welcome to the "Complete 0 to A1 Standard Estonian Course"! In this lesson, we will introduce you to the Estonian numbers and counting. Numbers are essential to communicate basic information, such as prices, dates, times, and quantities. You will learn how to pronounce numbers, how to count, and how to use them in real-life situations. We hope you will find this lesson engaging and informative!

Estonian numbers

Estonian numbers are part of the Finno-Ugric language family, and they have a unique system of counting. In Estonian, the numbers are formed by adding suffixes to the root. The suffix varies according to the case, gender, and quantity of the noun that is being counted. For example, the suffix for "one" in the nominative case is "-üks", but it changes to "-kaks" for "two".

Cardinal numbers

Let's start with the basic numbers:

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English Translation
üks	[yks]	one
kaks	[käks]	two
kolm	[kolm]	three
neli	[neli]	four
viis	[viis]	five
kuus	[kuus]	six
seitse	[seitse]	seven
kaheksa	[kaheksa]	eight
üheksa	[üheksa]	nine
kümme	[kymme]	ten

Ordinal numbers

Estonian ordinal numbers are formed by adding the suffix "-esimene" to the cardinal number. For example, "kolmas" (third) is formed by adding "-esimene" to "kolm" (three).

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English Translation
esimene	[esimene]	first
teine	[teine]	second
kolmas	[kolmas]	third
neljas	[neljas]	fourth
viies	[viies]	fifth
kuues	[kuues]	sixth
seitsmes	[seitsmes]	seventh
kaheksas	[kaheksas]	eighth
üheksas	[üheksas]	ninth
kümnes	[kymnes]	tenth

Counting in Estonian

Counting in Estonian is relatively easy once you know the numbers. Here are some important words and expressions:

• kogus - quantity
• maalim - dozen
• sada - hundred
• tuhat - thousand

Let's see some examples:

Standard Estonian	Pronunciation	English Translation
kaks kogus	[käks kogus]	two units
kolm maalim	[kolm maalim]	three dozens
viis sada	[viis sada]	five hundreds
kaheksa tuhat	[kaheksa tuhat]	eight thousands

Using numbers in sentences

Now, let's see some examples of how to use numbers in sentences:

• Ma ostan kolm õuna. (I buy three apples.)
• Meil on viis koera. (We have five dogs.)
• Mitu kassi sa omad? (How many cats do you have?)
• Meie klassis on kaheksa õpilast. (There are eight students in our class.)

Conclusion

We hope this lesson has been useful to you in learning Estonian numbers and counting. Practice counting and using numbers in everyday situations to reinforce your learning. In the next lesson, we will learn about the Estonian vocabulary related to days, months, and seasons. Happy learning!

Table of Contents - Standard Estonian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Introduction to Estonian

• Alphabet and Pronunciation
• Basic Sentence Structure

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Greetings and Introductions

• Common Greetings
• Introducing Yourself

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Nouns and Pronouns

• Noun Cases
• Personal Pronouns

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Numbers and Time

• Numbers 1-100
• Telling Time

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Verbs and Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense

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Daily Activities

• Daily Routine
• Hobbies and Free Time

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Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Declension
• Adverbs

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Food and Dining

• Food and Drinks
• Eating Out

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Estonian Traditions

• Holidays and Celebrations
• Traditional Music and Dance

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Travel and Transportation

• Modes of Transportation
• Travel Phrases

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Prepositions and Conjunctions

• Prepositions
• Conjunctions

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At Home and Work

• Home and Furniture
• Work and Professions

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Estonian History

• Historical Overview
• Estonian Language History

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Negation and Questions

• Negation
• Question Words and Formation

Related Lessons

• Time
• Greetings and introductions
• Count to 10
• How to say Good Bye?
• Animal
• Airport
• Animals
• Family and friends
• Weather