Estonian Travel & Transport Words
Travel vocabulary keeps you moving — and is just as handy for the daily commute. Here are train, bus, plane, ship and taxi, plus trip, holiday, hotel, suitcase, passport and ticket, each with native audio. This theme also adds the terminative case (“up to / until”).
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 Travel & Transport Words: words & phrases
36 words · tap the speaker to hear each one.
| Audio | Estonian | English | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| rong | train | gen. rongi, part. rongi | |
| buss | bus | gen. bussi, part. bussi | |
| lennuk | aeroplane, airplane | gen. lennuki, part. lennukit; from lendama "to fly | |
| laev | ship | gen. laeva, part. laeva | |
| takso | taxi | gen. takso, part. taksot | |
| reis | journey, trip | gen. reisi, part. reisi · vs teekond/sõit — reis = a trip/journey (the whole undertaking); teekond = the route/path; sõit = the ride. | |
| reisima | to travel | 3sg reisib, past reisis · vs sõitma — reisima = travel (esp. far/abroad, for leisure); sõitma = ride/drive a vehicle, go by transport. | |
| reisija | passenger, traveller | gen. reisija, part. reisijat | |
| puhkus | holiday, vacation, rest | gen. puhkuse, part. puhkust | |
| hotell | hotel | gen. hotelli, part. hotelli | |
| kohver | suitcase | gen. kohvri, part. kohvrit | |
| pass | passport | gen. passi, part. passi | |
| kaart | map; card | gen. kaardi, part. kaarti | |
| maantee | highway, road | gen. maantee, part. maanteed; maa + tee · vs tee — maantee = highway/main road between places; tee = any road or way. | |
| sadam | harbour, port | gen. sadama, part. sadamat | |
| peatus | stop (bus/tram stop) | gen. peatuse, part. peatust; cf. bussipeatus | |
| mootorratas | motorcycle | gen. mootorratta, part. mootorratast | |
| praam | ferry, barge | gen. praami, part. praami | |
| paat | boat | gen. paadi, part. paati | |
| raudtee | railway, railroad | gen. raudtee, part. raudteed; raud "iron" + tee | |
| raudteejaam | railway station | gen. raudteejaama, part. raudteejaama; raudtee + jaam · vs rongijaam — both = train station; rongijaam is the everyday term, raudteejaam more formal/official. | |
| ühistransport | public transport | gen. ühistranspordi, part. ühistransporti | |
| lendama | to fly | 3sg lendab; past lendas | |
| saabuma | to arrive | 3sg saabub; past saabus · vs jõudma — saabuma = arrive (esp. of transport/at a place); jõudma = reach/manage to get somewhere, often with effort. | |
| lahkuma | to leave, depart | 3sg lahkub; past lahkus · vs saabuma — lahkuma = leave/depart (opposite of arriving); takes the elative (-st): linnast lahkuma. | |
| sõiduplaan | timetable, schedule | gen. sõiduplaani, part. sõiduplaani · vs tunniplaan — sõiduplaan = transport timetable (buses/trains); tunniplaan = school/lesson schedule. | |
| teekond | journey, route | gen. teekonna, part. teekonda · vs reis/marsruut — teekond = the journey/route travelled; reis = the trip overall; marsruut = the planned route. | |
| välismaa | abroad, foreign country | gen. välismaa, part. välismaad | |
| piir | border, boundary | gen. piiri, part. piiri | |
| turist | tourist | gen. turisti, part. turisti | |
| giid | (tour) guide | gen. giidi, part. giidi | |
| taksojuht | taxi driver | gen. taksojuhi, part. taksojuhti | |
| reisijuht | travel guide (book/person) | gen. reisijuhi, part. reisijuhti | |
| lennupilet | plane ticket | gen. lennupileti, part. lennupiletit | |
| rongipilet | train ticket | gen. rongipileti, part. rongipiletit | |
| hotellituba | hotel room | gen. hotellitoa, part. hotellituba |
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 me tahtsime sõita rongiga Narvani, sest seal on vana vabrik ja meil oli oluline plaan. Me sõitsime hommikust õhtuni ning seejärel istusime jaamas. Hall Mees läks enne meid sinna — ta lukustas väravad ning süütas arhiivi. Ma jooksin sisse ja lugesin teksti kella kaheksani.
Frequently asked questions
Buss is bus and rong is train; lennuk is an aeroplane.
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