Telling the Time in Estonian

Imagine you're standing at a bus stop in Tallinn.

The timetable says 08:30.

You understand the numbers, but how would you say the time in Estonian?

Later, a colleague asks when you're coming to work. You want to say nine o'clock.

Then someone tells you to meet at half past three.

In Estonian, the way people say half-hours may be different from what you expect in English.

In this lesson, you'll learn how to ask and tell the time, understand common spoken expressions, and use time naturally in everyday conversations.

Today's mission: Understand five different clock times and tell someone when you'll arrive.

What You'll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to:

• Ask what time it is.
• Say full hours from one to twelve.
• Understand half-hours in natural spoken Estonian.
• Recognize quarter-hour expressions.
• Say precise times using the 24-hour clock.
• Ask what time something happens.
• Distinguish between the current time and the time of an event.
• Recognize simple morning, afternoon and evening expressions.
• Read basic opening hours and timetables.
• Participate in short time-related conversations.

A1 learning goal: Understand and exchange simple information about familiar times, schedules and everyday plans when speech is clear and appropriately paced.

1. The Most Important Time Question

Let's begin with one essential expression.

Mis kell on?

Meaning: What time is it?

You can use this question in everyday situations.

A Polite Version

Vabandust, mis kell on?

Meaning: Excuse me, what time is it?

Example Conversation

English Translation

Person A: Excuse me, what time is it?

Person B: It's three o'clock.

Person A: Thank you!

Person B: You're welcome!

Break It Down

Estonian	Meaning
mis	what
kell	clock / time / o'clock, depending on context
on	is

The complete question is:

Mis kell on?

Memorize it as one useful expression.

2. Full Hours: One to Twelve

You learned the numbers in Module 2.

Now let's combine them with kell.

It's One O'Clock

Kell on üks.

It's Two O'Clock

Kell on kaks.

It's Three O'Clock

Kell on kolm.

It's Four O'Clock

Kell on neli.

Full-Hour Reference

Time	Estonian
1:00	Kell on üks.
2:00	Kell on kaks.
3:00	Kell on kolm.
4:00	Kell on neli.
5:00	Kell on viis.
6:00	Kell on kuus.
7:00	Kell on seitse.
8:00	Kell on kaheksa.
9:00	Kell on üheksa.
10:00	Kell on kümme.
11:00	Kell on üksteist.
12:00	Kell on kaksteist.

Listen and Repeat

Practice

Look at these times:

• 03:00
• 07:00
• 09:00
• 12:00

Say each one aloud.

Answers

Kell on kolm.

Kell on seitse.

Kell on üheksa.

Kell on kaksteist.

3. What Time Is It? vs. At What Time?

There is an important difference between asking for the current time and asking when something happens.

What Time Is It?

Mis kell on?

Meaning: What time is it now?

What Time Are You Coming?

Mis kell sa tuled?

Meaning: At what time are you coming?

What Time Does the Bus Leave?

Mis kell buss väljub?

Meaning: At what time does the bus depart?

Compare the Answers

Current time:

Kell on üheksa.

It's nine o'clock.

Time of an event:

Kell üheksa.

At nine o'clock.

Example

English Translation

Person A: What time are you coming?

Person B: At nine.

Person A: Very good!

Important Pattern

Use:

Kell on + time when telling the current time.

Use:

Kell + time when saying when something happens.

This distinction will appear throughout the module.

4. Half-Hours: The Important Estonian Pattern

Now let's learn one of the most important differences between English and Estonian time expressions.

In English:

Half past three = 3:30.

In traditional spoken Estonian:

Pool neli = 3:30.

Estonian names the upcoming hour in a half-hour expression.

The Essential Pattern

Pool neli.

Meaning: Half past three — 3:30.

Literally, this relates to being halfway toward four.

More Examples

Time	Estonian
1:30	pool kaks
2:30	pool kolm
3:30	pool neli
4:30	pool viis
5:30	pool kuus
6:30	pool seitse
7:30	pool kaheksa
8:30	pool üheksa
9:30	pool kümme
10:30	pool üksteist
11:30	pool kaksteist
12:30	pool üks

Listen Carefully

A Common Beginner Mistake

If someone says:

Pool kaheksa.

They mean 7:30, not 8:30.

Similarly:

Pool kümme.

Means 9:30, not 10:30.

Memory Technique

Ask yourself:

Which full hour comes next?

If the time is 3:30, the next hour is four.

Therefore:

Pool neli.

Quick Challenge

What times do these expressions represent?

1. Pool kolm
2. Pool kuus
3. Pool üheksa
4. Pool kaksteist

Answers

1. 2:30
2. 5:30
3. 8:30
4. 11:30

5. Saying It's Half Past

You can describe the current time using a full sentence.

Kell on pool neli.

Meaning: It's 3:30.

More Examples

Kell on pool kaheksa.

It's 7:30.

Kell on pool kümme.

It's 9:30.

When Something Happens

Ma tulen kell pool üheksa.

Meaning: I'm coming at 8:30.

Another Example

Buss väljub kell pool seitse.

Meaning: The bus departs at 6:30.

Practice Dialogue

English Translation

Person A: What time are you coming?

Person B: At 8:30.

Person A: In the morning?

Person B: Yes, in the morning.

Person A: Understood!

Your Task

Imagine you're meeting someone at 4:30.

Say:

Ma tulen kell pool viis.

Repeat until you can produce it confidently.

6. Quarter Past and Quarter To

Let's learn two other common spoken time expressions.

Quarter Past Three

Veerand neli.

Meaning: 3:15.

Like the half-hour pattern, this refers to progress toward the next hour.

Quarter to Four

Kolmveerand neli.

Meaning: 3:45.

Here, three quarters of the way toward four have passed.

Compare

Time	Estonian
3:00	kell kolm
3:15	veerand neli
3:30	pool neli
3:45	kolmveerand neli
4:00	kell neli

Listen to the Sequence

Another Example

Time	Estonian
8:15	veerand üheksa
8:30	pool üheksa
8:45	kolmveerand üheksa

Important Usage Note

These traditional quarter-hour forms are useful to recognize, but you may also encounter more explicit minute-based expressions, especially in formal contexts or when someone wants to avoid ambiguity.

For a beginner, prioritize:

1. Full hours.
2. Half-hours.
3. Digital clock times.
4. Quarter-hour expressions.

Recognition Challenge

What is:

Kolmveerand seitse.

Answer: 6:45.

7. Precise Clock Times

Not every time falls exactly on the hour, quarter-hour or half-hour.

You might need to understand 09:10, 14:25 or 17:40.

In timetables and other precise contexts, you can read the hour and minutes directly.

09:10

Üheksa kümme.

10:20

Kümme kakskümmend.

14:25

Neliteist kakskümmend viis.

17:40

Seitseteist nelikümmend.

21:15

Kakskümmend üks viisteist.

Full Sentence

Kell on neliteist kakskümmend viis.

Meaning: It's 14:25.

A Useful Tip

Reading the numerical hour and minute is especially convenient for:

• Train timetables.
• Appointment schedules.
• Opening hours.
• Written notifications.
• Digital clocks.

In casual speech, people may instead use twelve-hour expressions with contextual clues such as hommikul or õhtul.

Try It

Read these digital times aloud:

1. 08:10
2. 11:20
3. 15:45
4. 19:30

Suggested Answers

Kaheksa kümme.

Üksteist kakskümmend.

Viisteist nelikümmend viis.

Üheksateist kolmkümmend.

8. Morning, Daytime, Evening and Night

Estonian often uses time-of-day expressions to make the hour clear.

Let's learn the essential words.

Estonian	English
hommik	morning
päev	day
õhtu	evening
öö	night
hommikul	in the morning
päeval	during the day
õhtul	in the evening
öösel	at night

Listen

At Eight in the Morning

Kell kaheksa hommikul.

Meaning: At eight in the morning.

At Six in the Evening

Kell kuus õhtul.

Meaning: At six in the evening.

At Three at Night

Kell kolm öösel.

Meaning: At three at night.

Example Sentences

Ma lähen tööle kell kaheksa hommikul.

Meaning: I go to work at eight in the morning.

Ma tulen koju kell kuus õhtul.

Meaning: I come home at six in the evening.

Grammar Discovery

Notice the familiar location-like forms:

• hommikul
• päeval
• õhtul

These are time expressions using Estonian grammatical forms.

For now, learn them as complete words.

9. Telling the Time in Everyday Conversations

Let's combine the phrases into a realistic dialogue.

Imagine you're arranging to meet a friend.

English Translation

Person A: Hello!

Person B: Hello!

Person A: What time are you coming?

Person B: At 5:30.

Person A: In the evening?

Person B: Yes, in the evening.

Person A: Very good!

Person B: Goodbye!

Your Turn

Change the meeting time to:

• 4:00
• 6:30
• 8:15

Practice saying the new times.

Suggested Answers

Kell neli.

Kell pool seitse.

Kell veerand üheksa.

10. Asking When Something Starts

You learned the question word millal in Module 2.

Now let's connect it to precise times.

When Does It Start?

Millal see algab?

Meaning: When does it start?

At What Time Does It Start?

Mis kell see algab?

Meaning: What time does it start?

New Verb

algama

Meaning: To start / Begin.

algab

Meaning: Starts / Begins.

A Practical Example

English Translation

Person A: What time does it start?

Person B: At ten.

Person A: In the morning?

Person B: Yes, in the morning.

Another Useful Question

Mis kell tund algab?

Meaning: What time does the lesson start?

New Word

tund

Meaning: Lesson / Class / Hour, depending on context.

We'll use this word again when discussing work, study and daily routines.

11. Asking When Something Ends

Let's learn another useful verb.

lõppema

Meaning: To end / Finish.

lõpeb

Meaning: Ends / Finishes.

What Time Does It End?

Mis kell see lõpeb?

Meaning: What time does it end?

When Does the Lesson End?

Mis kell tund lõpeb?

Meaning: What time does the lesson end?

Example Dialogue

English Translation

Student: What time does the lesson start?

Teacher: At nine.

Student: What time does the lesson end?

Teacher: At eleven.

Student: Thank you!

Important Pair

• algab — starts
• lõpeb — ends

These two words are especially useful when discussing:

• Lessons
• Meetings
• Appointments
• Work
• Events
• Opening hours

12. Time and Public Transport

You learned transport vocabulary in Module 4.

Now let's combine it with clock times.

When Does the Bus Leave?

Mis kell buss väljub?

Meaning: What time does the bus depart?

When Does the Train Arrive?

Mis kell rong saabub?

Meaning: What time does the train arrive?

Useful Verbs

väljuma

To depart.

saabuma

To arrive.

Example Dialogue

English Translation

Passenger: Excuse me, what time does the train depart?

Employee: At 09:30.

Passenger: Thank you!

Employee: You're welcome!

Another Example

Rong saabub kell neliteist viisteist.

Meaning: The train arrives at 14:15.

Reading a Timetable

Imagine this fictional timetable.

Service	Departure	Arrival
Train A	08:30	10:45
Train B	12:15	14:30
Train C	17:40	19:55

Questions

1. When does Train A depart?
2. When does Train B arrive?
3. Which train departs at 17:40?
4. Which train arrives at 14:30?

Answers

1. 08:30.
2. 14:30.
3. Train C.
4. Train B.

These are invented practice times, not a real train timetable.

13. How Long Does It Take?

Sometimes you need to ask about duration rather than the time on the clock.

A useful expression is:

Kui kaua?

Meaning: How long?

How Long Does It Take?

Kui kaua see aega võtab?

Meaning: How long does this take?

Short Answers

Viis minutit.

Five minutes.

Kümme minutit.

Ten minutes.

Pool tundi.

Half an hour.

Üks tund.

One hour.

Kaks tundi.

Two hours.

Important Difference

Notice:

Pool neli.

Meaning: 3:30 — a clock time.

Pool tundi.

Meaning: Half an hour — a duration.

These sound similar but mean very different things.

Mini Dialogue

English Translation

Person A: How long does this take?

Person B: About half an hour.

Person A: Thank you!

14. Reading Opening Hours

Imagine you're outside a pharmacy.

A sign displays its opening hours.

Useful Vocabulary

lahtiolekuajad

Meaning: Opening hours.

avatud

Meaning: Open.

suletud

Meaning: Closed.

Example Sign

Apteek

Day	Opening hours
Esmaspäev–reede	09:00–18:00
Laupäev	10:00–16:00
Pühapäev	Suletud

New Vocabulary

esmaspäev

Monday.

reede

Friday.

laupäev

Saturday.

pühapäev

Sunday.

We'll learn all seven days of the week in the next lesson.

Reading Questions

1. When does the pharmacy open on weekdays?
2. When does it close on weekdays?
3. Is it open on Saturday?
4. Is it open on Sunday?

Answers

1. 09:00.
2. 18:00.
3. Yes, from 10:00 to 16:00.
4. No.

The sign is fictional and intended for language practice.

15. Asking Whether a Place Is Open

You may want to ask whether a shop is open.

Is the Shop Open?

Kas pood on avatud?

Meaning: Is the shop open?

Is the Pharmacy Closed?

Kas apteek on suletud?

Meaning: Is the pharmacy closed?

When Does the Shop Open?

Mis kell pood avatakse?

Meaning: What time does the shop open?

When Does the Shop Close?

Mis kell pood suletakse?

Meaning: What time does the shop close?

Grammar Note

Avatakse and suletakse are forms used when describing what happens to a place, such as opening or closing it.

You don't need to study the Estonian impersonal verb system yet.

Learn these useful questions as complete expressions.

Example

English Translation

Customer: Excuse me, what time does the shop close?

Employee: At eight in the evening.

Customer: Thank you!

Employee: You're welcome!

16. Listening Practice: Recognize the Time

Listen to each expression.

Try to identify the time before looking at the options.

Listening 1

Kell on seitse.

A. 6:00

B. 7:00

C. 8:00

Listening 2

Kell on pool üheksa.

A. 8:30

B. 9:30

C. 9:00

Listening 3

Veerand viis.

A. 5:15

B. 4:15

C. 4:45

Listening 4

Kolmveerand kümme.

A. 10:45

B. 9:15

C. 9:45

Listening 5

Kell neliteist kolmkümmend.

A. 14:30

B. 14:13

C. 13:30

Listening 6

Pool tundi.

A. 30 minutes

B. 1:30

C. 2 hours

Answers

1. B
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A
6. A

Listening Strategy

For half-hours and quarter-hours, focus on the upcoming hour.

For precise digital times, listen for the hour and minutes as two numerical parts.

Practice both styles so you can understand more than one way of expressing a time.

17. Listening Challenge: Respond to the Question

Now practice responding aloud.

Question 1

Mis kell on?

Imagine the time is 9:00.

Suggested response:

Kell on üheksa.

Question 2

Mis kell sa tuled?

Imagine you're coming at 5:30.

Suggested response:

Kell pool kuus.

Question 3

Mis kell tund algab?

Imagine the lesson starts at 10:00.

Suggested response:

Kell kümme.

Question 4

Kui kaua see aega võtab?

Imagine it takes half an hour.

Suggested response:

Pool tundi.

Question 5

Kas sa tuled hommikul?

You are coming in the morning.

Suggested response:

Jah, hommikul.

Your Goal

Respond to all five questions without reading the suggested answers.

18. Reading Practice: A Simple Daily Schedule

Read this fictional daily schedule.

Päevaplaan — Daily Schedule

Time	Activity
07:00	Ärkan üles
08:00	Lähen tööle
12:30	Lõuna
17:00	Tulen töölt
18:30	Lähen poodi
22:00	Lähen magama

New Vocabulary

päevaplaan

Daily schedule.

ärkan üles

I wake up.

lõuna

Lunch.

lähen magama

I go to sleep / I go to bed.

We'll explore daily routines in greater detail in a later module.

Reading Questions

1. What time does the person wake up?
2. What time do they go to work?
3. When is lunch?
4. When do they come from work?
5. When do they go to the shop?
6. What time do they go to bed?

Answers

1. 07:00
2. 08:00
3. 12:30
4. 17:00
5. 18:30
6. 22:00

Speaking Practice

Say these times in Estonian:

07:00, 08:00, 12:30, 17:00, 18:30, 22:00.

You can use the precise 24-hour reading style for all six.

19. Writing Practice: Convert the Times

Exercise A — Write the Time as Digits

1. Kell on viis.
2. Kell on pool kaheksa.
3. Veerand kuus.
4. Kolmveerand neli.
5. Pool kaksteist.
6. Kell on üheksa kakskümmend.

Answers

1. 5:00
2. 7:30
3. 5:15
4. 3:45
5. 11:30
6. 9:20

Exercise B — Write in Estonian

Write natural spoken time expressions.

1. 2:00
2. 4:30
3. 6:15
4. 7:45
5. 8:30
6. 10:00

Suggested Answers

Kell kaks.

Pool viis.

Veerand seitse.

Kolmveerand kaheksa.

Pool üheksa.

Kell kümme.

Exercise C — Complete the Questions

Word bank:

kell, kaua, algab, lõpeb, hommikul, õhtul

1. Mis _____ on?
2. Kui _____ see aega võtab?
3. Mis kell tund _____?
4. Mis kell tund _____?
5. Ma lähen tööle _____.
6. Ma tulen koju _____.

Answers

1. kell
2. kaua
3. algab
4. lõpeb
5. hommikul
6. õhtul

20. Speaking Challenge: Your Everyday Schedule

Now practice describing your own schedule.

Use real or imaginary times.

Step 1 — Morning

Say when you wake up.

Ma ärkan üles kell seitse.

Meaning: I wake up at seven.

Step 2 — Work or Study

Say when you go to work or school.

Ma lähen tööle kell kaheksa.

Meaning: I go to work at eight.

Step 3 — Returning Home

Say when you come home.

Ma tulen koju kell kuus õhtul.

Meaning: I come home at six in the evening.

Step 4 — Sleep

Say when you go to bed.

Ma lähen magama kell kümme õhtul.

Meaning: I go to bed at ten in the evening.

Your Challenge

Create four sentences about your own typical day.

Change the example times to match your schedule.

Try to speak without reading the model.

21. A Complete Time-Related Conversation

Imagine you're arranging to meet a friend at a café.

Listen to the dialogue.

English Translation

Person A: Hello!

Person B: Hello!

Person A: Are you coming to the café tomorrow?

Person B: Yes, I am.

Person A: What time are you coming?

Person B: At 5:30.

Person A: In the evening?

Person B: Yes, in the evening.

Person A: Very good!

Person B: Goodbye!

Person A: Goodbye!

What Did You Accomplish?

You combined:

• Greetings
• A yes/no question
• Tomorrow
• A destination
• A precise meeting time
• Evening
• Polite closing expressions

Your Turn

Repeat the conversation.

Then change the meeting time to:

• 4:00
• 6:30
• 7:15

Try producing the new conversation without looking at the original.

22. Knowledge Check

Choose the correct answer.

Question 1

What does Mis kell on? mean?

A. What time is it?

B. When are you coming?

C. How long does it take?

Question 2

What time is pool neli?

A. 4:30

B. 3:30

C. 4:00

Question 3

What time is veerand kaheksa?

A. 7:15

B. 8:15

C. 7:45

Question 4

What time is kolmveerand kuus?

A. 6:45

B. 5:15

C. 5:45

Question 5

Which expression means "At nine in the morning"?

A. Kell üheksa õhtul.

B. Kell üheksa hommikul.

C. Pool üheksa.

Question 6

What does Kui kaua see aega võtab? mean?

A. What time is it?

B. Where is it?

C. How long does it take?

Question 7

What does Pool tundi mean?

A. Half an hour.

B. Half past one.

C. One hour.

Question 8

Which word means "Closed"?

A. avatud

B. suletud

C. järgmine

Question 9

What does Mis kell buss väljub? mean?

A. What time does the bus depart?

B. Where does the bus go?

C. Is the bus delayed?

Question 10

Which expression means "The lesson ends at eleven"?

A. Tund algab kell üksteist.

B. Tund lõpeb kell üksteist.

C. Kell on üksteist tundi.

Answer Key

1. A
2. B
3. A
4. C
5. B
6. C
7. A
8. B
9. A
10. B

23. Real-World Mission

Your challenge is to use Estonian time expressions in everyday life.

Choose one or more missions.

Mission A — Easy: Read the Clock

Look at a clock five times today.

Say the time aloud in Estonian.

Use full-hour or digital expressions at first.

Mission B — Half-Hour Challenge

Practice these times:

• 07:30
• 08:30
• 12:30
• 15:30
• 18:30

Try saying each using the traditional pool pattern.

Suggested Answers

Pool kaheksa.

Pool üheksa.

Pool üks.

Pool neli.

Pool seitse.

Mission C — Ask Someone the Time

Ask a friend or language partner:

Mis kell on?

Try understanding the response.

Mission D — Read Opening Hours

Look at the opening hours of a shop, café or pharmacy.

Identify:

1. Opening time.
2. Closing time.
3. Which days the hours apply to.

If the opening hours use digital times, practice saying them aloud.

Mission E — Arrange a Meeting

Ask someone:

Mis kell sa tuled?

Agree on a simple meeting time.

If you're not practicing with someone, simulate the conversation aloud.

24. Lesson Summary

You've learned how to ask and tell the time in Estonian.

Essential Questions

Mis kell on?

What time is it?

Mis kell sa tuled?

What time are you coming?

Mis kell see algab?

What time does it start?

Mis kell see lõpeb?

What time does it end?

Kui kaua see aega võtab?

How long does it take?

Full Hours

Time	Estonian
1:00	kell üks
2:00	kell kaks
3:00	kell kolm
4:00	kell neli
5:00	kell viis
6:00	kell kuus
7:00	kell seitse
8:00	kell kaheksa
9:00	kell üheksa
10:00	kell kümme
11:00	kell üksteist
12:00	kell kaksteist

Half-Hours

Time	Estonian
2:30	pool kolm
3:30	pool neli
4:30	pool viis
7:30	pool kaheksa
8:30	pool üheksa
9:30	pool kümme

Quarter-Hours

Time	Estonian
3:15	veerand neli
3:45	kolmveerand neli
7:15	veerand kaheksa
7:45	kolmveerand kaheksa

Useful Time Expressions

• hommikul — in the morning
• päeval — during the day
• õhtul — in the evening
• öösel — at night
• pool tundi — half an hour
• üks tund — one hour
• kaks tundi — two hours
• avatud — open
• suletud — closed
• algab — starts
• lõpeb — ends
• väljub — departs
• saabub — arrives

25. A1 Progress Check

This lesson develops practical time-related communication skills.

Listening

Recognize familiar clock times, half-hour expressions, simple schedules, and opening-hour information.

Speaking

Say common times and explain when familiar activities take place.

Interaction

Ask what time something happens and respond with a simple time expression.

Reading

Understand basic timetables, opening hours, and daily schedules.

Writing

Write common clock times and short sentences about planned activities.

Grammar

Recognize:

• Mis kell on? versus Mis kell ...?
• Kell on ... versus kell ...
• Spoken half-hour and quarter-hour expressions.
• Time-of-day expressions.
• Basic duration expressions.
• Familiar present-tense verbs used with time.

Before Moving On

Check whether you can:

• Ask what time it is.
• Say full hours from one to twelve.
• Recognize pool neli as 3:30.
• Recognize common quarter-hour expressions.
• Read digital clock times aloud.
• Ask what time someone is coming.
• Say whether something happens in the morning or evening.
• Ask when something starts.
• Ask when something ends.
• Recognize simple opening hours.
• Understand the difference between clock time and duration.
• Write at least five time expressions correctly.

If you can perform most of these tasks, you're ready to continue.