Appendix:Estonian idioms

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List of idioms in the Estonian language:

Contents: Top - A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S Š Z Ž T U V W Õ Ä Ö Ü X Y - See also - External link

A

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
Achilleuse kand A person's weak spot Achilles heel

B

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C

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D

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E

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
eluvaimu sisse puhuma to bring back to life blow in (to sm) the spirit of life
erand kinnitab reeglit Exception that proves the rule

F

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning

G

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H

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hauas teist külge keerama to turn around in one's grave
häda ajab härja kaevu

I

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
isa nikkuma õpetama when a child teaches something very commonly understood to someone older and more experienced to teach one's father how to fuck

J

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
jalga laskma To go away / flee To shoot one's leg
jalgratast leiutama reinvent the bicycle

K

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
kaksk[ümm]end neli seitse Always; at all times. From 24 hours in a day, seven days in a week. twenty-four seven
karuteene favor, which brings negative consequences bear's favor
kivi kotti! good luck! Stone into the bag!
koer poiss Dog boy
kui hundist räägid to call a bad omen when talking of about wolf
kuum kartul In the common political usage 'kuum kartul' (hot potato) represents an issue which is controversial and generally avoided. In a business setting it sometimes refers to a project or responsibility that no one wants to assume, usually because the probability of failure is high. From a children's game in which an object which represents (or actually is) a hot potato is passed around a circle of players while music plays (or time is kept). The loser - the one left holding the 'potato' when the music stops (or time is up) - is eliminated, until only one person is left. A variation (when using an actual very hot potato) is to eliminate anyone who drops the potato hot potato
kuut kõssi võtma to take six shoos
käbi ei kuku kännust kaugele A child exhibits the same way as his/her parents. the acorn doesn't fall far from the tree
käega lööma to give up Beat by hand
käib peale nagu uni unavoidable, persuasive and diligent insists like sleepiness
küsija suu pihta lööma punish in any way the person for asking the question hit on the mouth of the person who asks

L

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
lakke sittuma shit on the ceiling
lesta tõmbama to leave to pull the flounder
libedal jääl kõndima to walk on thin ice to walk on slippery ice
luukere kapis A personal secret that one would not like to reveal for fear of embarrassment, as it usually reflects badly on the person having the secret. skeleton in the closet

M

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
must lammas An ostracized or ill-fitting member of a family or group. black sheep

N

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
nael kummi! Similar to "Break a leg" for actors. "Have a good drive." Get a nail in your tire!
nokk kinni, saba lahti This is from a story where a bird perches on a roof and notices that its tail has gotten caught on something. It pulls and yanks, and finally manages to free itself, but falls forward and gets its beak stuck instead. When it pulls its beak free, the tail becomes stuck once again. The nouns can be reversed, too (saba kinni, nokk lahti) The beak gets stuck as the tail comes free

O

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
oleks nagu vaimu näinud To describe someone with a pale/shocked/scared expression It's like you've seen a ghost.
ots otsaga kokku tulema to make ends meet the act of having 2 tips come together

P

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
parimat valjut osta soovima to want to buy the best loud
peenike kui piitsavars as thin as the stalk of a whip
pekki saagima to saw the lard
peost suhu elama live from hand to mouth

Q

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning

R

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
rongist maha jääma being late to act miss the train
rusikas silmaauku To describe a perfect fit, things matching or going well together. Like a fist into an eye socket

S

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
sajab nagu oavarrest raining like from the bean stalk
situ ruttu, karu tuleb! shit fast, the bear is coming!

Š

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Z

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Ž

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T

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U

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V

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
viies ratas vankri all you are redundant / not welcome. Third wheel. the fifth wheel under the wagon
võta või jäta Accept or reject unconditionally. take it or leave it

W

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning

Õ

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Idiom Meaning Literal Meaning
õnnest lakke hüppama Jump to the ceiling out of happiness.

Ä

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Ö

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Ü

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X

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Y

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