20 Estonian Proverbs Explained
Text Stewart Johnson Illustration AI-generated
If you are reading this, then you probably either love Estonia, or want to get to know it better. Understanding a culture’s old sayings and proverbs is the key to truly knowing a country. Here is a guide to 20 Estonian expressions in Estonian, their literal translation, and what they actually mean.
1—“Tee tööd ja näe vaeva, siis tuleb ka armastus.”
“Work hard and make an effort, then love will come, too.”
True meaning: Your partner only wants your money.
2—“Kes kannatab, see kaua elab.”
“He who endures, lives long.”
True meaning: If you don’t endure, you’re dead. Duh.
3—“Tark ei torma.”
“The wise person does not rush.”
True meaning: Smart people know where the speed traps are.
4—“Igaüks on oma õnne sepp.”
“Everyone creates their own happiness.”
True meaning: What happens in Estonia, stays in Estonia. Until it turns 18. Then it moves to Finland.
5—“Üheksa korda mõõda, üks kord lõika.”
“Measure nine times, cut once.”
True meaning: It’s never as long as you think.
6—“Kes teisele auku kaevab, see ise sisse kukub.”
“He who digs a hole for another will fall into it themselves.”
True meaning: Don’t drink at funerals.
7—“Hommik on õhtust targem.”
“Morning is wiser than evening.”
True meaning: There is wisdom even in the walk of shame.
8—“Parem hilja kui mitte kunagi.”
“Better late than never.”
True meaning: “Never”, or “kunagi”, is an ancient Estonian word for “pregnant”.
9—“Tühi kott ei seisa püsti.”
“An empty bag does not stand upright.”
True meaning: It hangs. See number 8 above.
10—“Ära hõiska enne õhtut.”
“Don’t celebrate before evening.”
True meaning: According to number 7 above, celebrate the walk of shame with another beer.
11—“Igal oinal oma mihklipäev.”
“Every ram has its Michaelmas day.”
True meaning: Even Omniva eventually delivers the mail.
12—“Häda ajab härja kaevu.”
“Trouble drives even an ox into a well.”
True meaning: Keep pushing your mother-in-law.
13—“Kus viga näed laita, seal tule ja aita.”
“Where you see a fault, come and help.”
True meaning: Always point out your partner’s mistakes. This will help them improve.
14—“Õnnetus ei hüüa tulles.”
“Misfortune does not announce its approach.”
True meaning: You never know when you’ll meet a Finn in a bar. They’re very quiet.
15—“Vara üles, hilja voodi, nõnda rikkus majja toodi.”
“Early to rise, late to bed, that’s how money is brought to the shed.”
True meaning: When we decided to have kids, we thought we’d have another kind of wealth.
16—“Raha ei haise.”
“Money doesn’t stink.”
True meaning: Your partner likes your smell. See number 1 above.
17—“Ilu ei sünni patta panna.”
“Beauty cannot be put into a cooking pot.”
True meaning: It is generally illegal to cook people.
18—“Pill tuleb pika ilu peale.”
“Crying comes after too much playing.”
True meaning: FAFO: fool around and find out.
19—“Kes ees, see mees.”
“He who is first, is the man.”
True meaning: My ancestors were chauvinists.
20—“Kaks kõva kivi head jahu ei jahvata.”
“Two hard stones do not grind good flour.”
True meaning: But marriage equality is still very important!
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