Estonian Food & Drink Words
Food vocabulary pays off fast: at the shop, the café and the dinner table. Here are the Estonian words for everyday staples — bread, milk, coffee, tea, water, fruit and vegetables — each with native audio. It’s also where the partitive case quietly starts (a glass of water, a piece of bread).
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 Food & Drink Words: words & phrases
41 words · tap the speaker to hear each one.
| Audio | Estonian | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| leib | bread (rye/black) | gen. leiva, part. leiba · vs sai — leib = dark/rye bread; sai = white bread or bun (both translate as "bread"). | |
| saicommon | white bread, bun | gen. saia, part. saia · vs leib — sai = white bread/bun; leib = dark/rye bread. | |
| võileib | sandwich | gen. võileiva, part. võileiba (või + leib) | |
| piim | milk | gen. piima, part. piima | |
| vesi | water | gen. vee, part. vett | |
| kohv | coffee | gen. kohvi, part. kohvi (nom. is one syllable) | |
| teecommon | tea; road | gen. tee, part. teed | |
| mahl | juice | gen. mahla, part. mahla | |
| õlu | beer | gen. õlle, part. õlut | |
| jook | drink, beverage | gen. joogi, part. jooki (k–g gradation) | |
| õun | apple | gen. õuna, part. õuna | |
| pirn | pear | gen. pirni, part. pirni (also "light bulb") | |
| banaan | banana | gen. banaani, part. banaani | |
| puuvili | fruit | gen. puuvilja, part. puuvilja (puu + vili) | |
| köögivili | vegetable | gen. köögivilja, part. köögivilja (köök + vili) | |
| tomat | tomato | gen. tomati, part. tomatit | |
| kartul | potato | gen. kartuli, part. kartulit | |
| kala | fish | gen. kala, part. kala | |
| liha | meat | gen. liha, part. liha | |
| muna | egg | gen. muna, part. muna | |
| juust | cheese | gen. juustu, part. juustu | |
| riis | rice | gen. riisi, part. riisi | |
| supp | soup | gen. supi, part. suppi (p–ø gradation) | |
| sool | salt | gen. soola, part. soola | |
| suhkur | sugar | gen. suhkru, part. suhkrut | |
| šokolaad | chocolate | gen. šokolaadi, part. šokolaadi | |
| söök | food, meal | gen. söögi, part. sööki (from sööma "to eat") · vs toit — söök = a meal / dish you eat; toit = food/nourishment in general. | |
| vorst | sausage | gen. vorsti, part. vorsti | |
| sink | ham | gen. singi, part. sinki (k–g gradation) | |
| kana | chicken, hen | gen. kana, part. kana (type 17u sõna; kanat is nom.pl.) | |
| praad | roast, fried dish | gen. prae, part. praadi (type 21; ahjupraad = oven roast) | |
| hommikusöök | breakfast | gen. hommikusöögi, part. hommikusööki (hommik + söök) | |
| lõunasöök | lunch | gen. lõunasöögi, part. lõunasööki (lõuna + söök) | |
| õhtusöök | dinner, supper | gen. õhtusöögi, part. õhtusööki (õhtu + söök) | |
| kurk | cucumber | gen. kurgi, part. kurki (k–g; also means "throat") | |
| sibul | onion | gen. sibula, part. sibulat | |
| porgand | carrot | gen. porgandi, part. porgandit | |
| kapsas | cabbage | gen. kapsa, part. kapsast (length gradation) | |
| maasikas | strawberry | gen. maasika, part. maasikat | |
| kook | cake | gen. koogi, part. kooki (k–g gradation) · vs tort — kook = everyday cake/pastry; tort = fancy layered cake (e.g. birthday gateau). | |
| pirukas | pie, pasty | gen. piruka, part. pirukat |
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.
Ma söön leiba — väga head leiba! Ja ma joon kohvi ning piima. Hall Mees tuleb, aga me sööme leiba ja joome teed. Vanaema Õie sõber armastab leiba ja kohvi. Ma joon vett ning lähen. Söök on väga hea, aga me läheme!
Frequently asked questions
Leib is rye/black bread (the Estonian staple), sai is white bread, and vesi is water.
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