Estonian Body Parts
Body vocabulary is essential at the doctor’s and useful every day. Here are the Estonian words for the head, face, eyes, ears, hands, legs and the rest, each with native audio. This theme also introduces the comitative case -ga (“with”).
Read them out loud
Estonian is phonetic — words are said the way they’re written. Tap the speaker on any word to hear a native voice, and remember that doubled letters (aa, öö, ss) are simply held longer. New to the sounds? Start with the alphabet & pronunciation guide.
Estonian Body Parts: words & phrases
44 words · tap the speaker to hear each one.
| Audio | Estonian | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| peacommon | head | gen pea, part pead | |
| nägu | face | gen näo, part nägu (g→ø gradation) | |
| silm | eye | gen silma, part silma | |
| kõrv | ear | gen kõrva, part kõrva | |
| nina | nose | gen nina, part nina | |
| suu | mouth | gen suu, part suud | |
| hammas | tooth | gen hamba, part hammast | |
| juuksed | hair | pl of juus; sg gen juukse, part juust | |
| kael | neck | gen kaela, part kaela | |
| käsi | hand, arm | gen käe, part kätt | |
| sõrm | finger | gen sõrme, part sõrme | |
| jalg | leg, foot | gen jala, part jalga | |
| selg | back | gen selja, part selga | |
| kõht | stomach, belly | gen kõhu, part kõhtu | |
| süda | heart | gen südame, part südant | |
| veri | blood | gen vere, part verd | |
| valu | pain | gen valu, part valu | |
| köha | cough | gen köha, part köha | |
| palavik | fever | gen palaviku, part palavikku | |
| haigus | illness, disease | gen haiguse, part haigust | |
| haige | sick, ill; patient | gen haige, part haiget · vs patsient — haige = sick/ill (or a sick person generally); patsient = a patient under a doctor's care. | |
| tervecommon | healthy; whole | gen terve, part tervet · vs tervislik — terve = healthy/whole (a healthy person); tervislik = wholesome, health-promoting (food, lifestyle). | |
| arst | doctor | gen arsti, part arsti | |
| ravim | medicine, drug | gen ravimi, part ravimit | |
| õlg | shoulder | gen õla, part õlga | |
| ranne | wrist | gen randme, part rannet | |
| põlv | knee | gen põlve, part põlve | |
| rind | chest, breast | gen rinna, part rinda | |
| kops | lung | gen kopsu, part kopsu | |
| maks | liver | gen maksa, part maksa | |
| neer | kidney | gen neeru, part neeru | |
| luu | bone | gen luu, part luud | |
| lihas | muscle | gen lihase, part lihast | |
| nahk | skin | gen naha, part nahka | |
| küüs | fingernail, nail | gen küüne, part küünt | |
| huul | lip | gen huule, part huult | |
| keel | tongue | gen keele, part keelt (also means "language") | |
| kulm | eyebrow | gen kulmu, part kulmu | |
| haav | wound | gen haava, part haava | |
| süst | injection | gen süsti, part süsti | |
| temperatuur | temperature | gen temperatuuri, part temperatuuri | |
| hambaarst | dentist | gen hambaarsti, part hambaarsti | |
| küünarnukk | elbow | gen küünarnuki, part küünarnukki | |
| hingama | to breathe | hingama; 1sg pres hingan; past hingasin |
Read a real Estonian sentence
Built only from words you’d know by this point in the Selgeks course — proof these words add up to real Estonian.
Eile hommikul ärkasin vara, sest mul oli valu ja ma olin haige. Dr Kask andis mulle ravimit ja sooja teed, sest ta on väga hea arst. Siis läksin ma autoga haiglasse ja arst vaatas mu pead ja kõhtu. Ta ütles: "Pääsu, sul on katkine ribi!" Täna on parem.
Frequently asked questions
Käsi is hand/arm and pea is head.
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