Directions

1. Kus on lähim bussipeatus?

   kus on LÄ-him BUS-si-pea-tus

   Where is the nearest bus stop?

   Usage

   Used to ask for the location of the nearest bus stop

   Grammar Note

   "Kus" asks about location (where). "Kuhu" asks about direction (where to). Estonian shares this distinction with Finnish

2. Pöörake vasakule tuledel

   PÖÖ-ra-ke VA-sa-ku-le TU-le-del

   Turn left at the lights

   Usage

   Used to give directions to turn left at traffic lights

   Grammar Note

   The -ke ending marks the polite imperative. "Vasakule" (left) contrasts with "paremale" (right). Direction uses allative -le

3. Minge otse edasi

   MIN-ge OT-se E-da-si

   Go straight ahead

   Usage

   Used to direct someone to continue straight ahead

   Grammar Note

   "Minge" is the polite imperative of "minema" (to go), ending in -ge. "Mine" is the informal singular imperative

4. Kui kaugel see on?

   kui KAU-gel see on

   How far away is it?

   Usage

   Used to ask about the distance to a destination

   Grammar Note

   "Kaugel" is a locative adverb (far away). "Kaugele" is directional (far away to). Estonian adverbs often use case endings

5. Kas see on õige buss kesklinna?

   kas see on ÕI-ge buss KESK-lin-na

   Is this the right bus to the city centre?

   Usage

   Used to confirm you are on the correct bus to the city centre

   Grammar Note

   "Kas" is a question particle in Estonian that begins yes/no questions. Unlike Finnish, it is a separate word, not a suffix

6. Palun näidake mulle kaardil

   PA-lun NÄI-da-ke MUL-le KAAR-dil

   Please show me on the map

   Usage

   Used to ask someone to point to a location on a map

   Grammar Note

   "Kaardil" is the adessive of "kaart" (map): "on the map". The Estonian outer cases (adessive -l "on", allative -le "onto", ablative -lt "from") mark relations to a surface

7. Vanalinn on kümne minuti kaugusel

   VA-na-linn on KÜM-ne MI-nu-ti KAU-gu-sel

   The Old Town is ten minutes away

   Usage

   Used to state how long it takes to walk or travel to a destination

   Grammar Note

   "Kaugusel" is the adessive of "kaugus" (distance). "X minuti kaugusel" = X minutes away — a standard distance idiom

8. Eksisin ära — kas saate aidata?

   EK-si-sin Ä-ra — kas SAA-te AI-da-ta

   I got lost — can you help me?

   Usage

   Used to ask for help after getting lost

   Grammar Note

   "Ära" is a completive particle adding emphasis. "Eksisin ära" means "I got completely lost" — emphasis on the result

9. Kus on taksopeatus?

   kus on TAK-so-pea-tus

   Where is the taxi stand?

   Usage

   Used to ask the location of a taxi stand or rank

   Grammar Note

   "Takso" is borrowed from English "taxi". In Tallinn, app-based services like Bolt (formerly Taxify) are popular

10. Kuidas jõuda lennujaama?

    KUI-das JÕU-da LEN-nu-jaa-ma

    How do I get to the airport?

    Usage

    Used to ask how to travel to the airport

    Grammar Note

    "Lennujaama" is the short illative of "lennujaam" (airport). It looks the same as the genitive, but here it expresses direction ("to")

11. paremale

    PA-re-ma-le

    To the right

    Usage

    One word to steer a driver; the allative "-le" means "to the right". The nominative is "parem"

12. vasakule

    VA-sa-ku-le

    To the left

    Usage

    One word to steer a driver; the nominative is "vasak"

13. otse

    OT-se

    Straight ahead

    Usage

    Adverb for "keep going straight"

14. tagasi

    TA-ga-si

    Back / turn around

    Usage

    Show when you want to go back the way you came

15. Peatuge!

    PEA-tu-ge

    Stop here!

    Usage

    Ask a taxi or bus to stop; polite plural imperative

16. põhi

    PÕ-hi

    North

    Usage

    The compass direction north; the same word also means "bottom", so show it together with a map

17. lõuna

    LÕU-na

    South

    Usage

    The compass direction south; the same word also means "noon/lunch", so show it together with a map

18. ida

    I-da

    East

    Usage

    The compass direction east; it also appears in place names such as Ida-Virumaa

19. lääs

    West

    Usage

    The compass direction west; place names use the form "Lääne-", e.g. Läänemaa

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