Numbers

1. üks, kaks, kolm

   one, two, three

   Usage

   Basic Estonian numbers for counting

   Grammar Note

   Estonian numbers also inflect. Nouns after numbers 2+ take partitive case

2. neli, viis, kuus

   NE-li viis kuus

   four, five, six

   Usage

   Numbers 4 to 6

   Grammar Note

   Kuus means "six"; the spruce tree is "kuusk", a different word. Finnish "kuusi" covers both "six" and "spruce"

3. seitse, kaheksa, üheksa

   SEIT-se KA-hek-sa Ü-hek-sa

   seven, eight, nine

   Usage

   Numbers 7 to 9

   Grammar Note

   Kaheksa (8) and üheksa (9) preserve archaic "10-2" and "10-1" forms

4. kümme, sada, tuhat

   KÜM-me SA-da TU-hat

   ten, hundred, thousand

   Usage

   Units for larger numbers

   Grammar Note

   11 is üksteist (one + of-the-next-ten). Estonian teen numbers follow a clear pattern

5. Kell on kolm

   It is three o'clock

   Usage

   Express the time

   Grammar Note

   Kell (clock) is related to Finnish kello — both Finno-Ugric languages share vocabulary

6. Kaks piletit, palun

   kaks PI-le-tit PA-lun

   Two tickets, please

   Usage

   Specify quantity when buying tickets or ordering

   Grammar Note

   Piletit is partitive of pilet (ticket). After numbers 2+, Estonian nouns take partitive

7. Mitu?

   MI-tu

   How many?

   Usage

   Simple question to confirm quantity

   Grammar Note

   Mitu is the question word for countable quantity. Used in both nominative and partitive

8. esimene, teine, kolmas

   E-si-me-ne TEI-ne KOL-mas

   first, second, third

   Usage

   Ordinal numbers for floors, order, and ranking

   Grammar Note

   Esimene (first) derives from esi- (front/first); it is cognate with Finnish ensimmäinen

9. pool kolm

   Half past two (half three)

   Usage

   Estonian half-hours refer to the next hour, like Finnish

   Grammar Note

   Pool kolm = "halfway to three" = 2:30. Same logic as Finnish puoli (shared Finnic heritage)

10. Mis on teie telefoninumber?

    mis on TEI-e TE-le-fo-ni-num-ber

    What is your phone number?

    Usage

    Exchange contact information formally

    Grammar Note

    Teie is the formal possessive. Telefoninumber = telefoni (phone, genitive) + number

11. Olen kakskümmend seitse aastat vana

    O-len KAKS-küm-mend SEIT-se AAS-tat VA-na

    I'm 27 years old

    Usage

    Answering "Kui vana Te olete?" (How old are you?)

    Grammar Note

    The answer to "Kui vana Te olete?" is "numeral + aastat vana". After a numeral greater than one the noun takes the partitive singular, so "aasta" becomes "aastat", while the numeral stays nominative ("kakskümmend seitse")

12. Sel aastal saan kahekümne kaheksa aastaseks

    sel AAS-tal saan KA-he-küm-ne KA-hek-sa AAS-ta-seks

    I turn 28 this year

    Usage

    Saying what age you will reach this year

    Grammar Note

    "Saama + the translative aastaseks" means to turn a given age. The numeral before "aastane" stands in the genitive, so it is "kahekümne kaheksa", not the nominative "kakskümmend kaheksa". "Sel aastal" is the same adessive time phrase as "Sel nädalal" (this week)

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