If you are reading this, then you probably either love Estonia, or want to get to know it better. Understanding a culture\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\u2014\u201cTee t\u00f6\u00f6d ja n\u00e4e vaeva, siis tuleb ka armastus.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWork hard and make an effort, then love will come, too.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: Your partner only wants your money.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 2\u2014\u201cKes kannatab, see kaua elab.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHe who endures, lives long.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: If you don\u2019t endure, you\u2019re dead. Duh.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 3\u2014\u201cTark ei torma.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe wise person does not rush.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: Smart people know where the speed traps are.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 4\u2014\u201cIga\u00fcks on oma \u00f5nne sepp.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cEveryone creates their own happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: What happens in Estonia, stays in Estonia. Until it turns 18. Then it moves to Finland.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 5\u2014\u201c\u00dcheksa korda m\u00f5\u00f5da, \u00fcks kord l\u00f5ika.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMeasure nine times, cut once.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: It\u2019s never as long as you think.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 6\u2014\u201cKes teisele auku kaevab, see ise sisse kukub.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHe who digs a hole for another will fall into it themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: Don\u2019t drink at funerals.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 7\u2014\u201cHommik on \u00f5htust targem.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMorning is wiser than evening.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: There is wisdom even in the walk of shame.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 8\u2014\u201cParem hilja kui mitte kunagi.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cBetter late than never.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: \u201cNever\u201d, or \u201ckunagi\u201d, is an ancient Estonian word for \u201cpregnant\u201d.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 9\u2014\u201cT\u00fchi kott ei seisa p\u00fcsti.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cAn empty bag does not stand upright.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: It hangs. See number 8 above.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 10\u2014\u201c\u00c4ra h\u00f5iska enne \u00f5htut.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t celebrate before evening.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: According to number 7 above, celebrate the walk of shame with another beer.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 11\u2014\u201cIgal oinal oma mihklip\u00e4ev.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cEvery ram has its Michaelmas day.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: Even Omniva eventually delivers the mail.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 12\u2014\u201cH\u00e4da ajab h\u00e4rja kaevu.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTrouble drives even an ox into a well.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: Keep pushing your mother-in-law.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 13\u2014\u201cKus viga n\u00e4ed laita, seal tule ja aita.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWhere you see a fault, come and help.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: Always point out your partner\u2019s mistakes. This will help them improve.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 14\u2014\u201c\u00d5nnetus ei h\u00fc\u00fca tulles.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMisfortune does not announce its approach.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: You never know when you\u2019ll meet a Finn in a bar. They\u2019re very quiet.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 15\u2014\u201cVara \u00fcles, hilja voodi, n\u00f5nda rikkus majja toodi.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cEarly to rise, late to bed, that\u2019s how money is brought to the shed.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: When we decided to have kids, we thought we\u2019d have another kind of wealth.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 16\u2014\u201cRaha ei haise.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cMoney doesn\u2019t stink.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: Your partner likes your smell. See number 1 above.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 17\u2014\u201cIlu ei s\u00fcnni patta panna.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cBeauty cannot be put into a cooking pot.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: It is generally illegal to cook people.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 18\u2014\u201cPill tuleb pika ilu peale.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cCrying comes after too much playing.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: FAFO: fool around and find out.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 19\u2014\u201cKes ees, see mees.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cHe who is first, is the man.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: My ancestors were chauvinists.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n 20\u2014\u201cKaks k\u00f5va kivi head jahu ei jahvata.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cTwo hard stones do not grind good flour.\u201d<\/p>\n True meaning: But marriage equality is still very important!<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you are reading this, then you probably either love Estonia, or want to get to know it better. 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