tere
/ˈtere/
In Estonian, 'hi' can be expressed as tere. Wiktionary also lists hei and tervist.
Meaning: friendly, informal greeting (intj)
Ways to say it
| Estonian | IPA |
|---|---|
| tere | /ˈtere/ |
| hei | |
| tervist |
The primary way to greet someone is using the word tere. You may also encounter specialized time-based greetings such as tere õhtust, which means 'good evening'.
Which one should you use?
While tere is a neutral and versatile greeting, hei serves as a more casual, shorthand version similar to the English 'hi'. For a more formal approach, you can use the phrase tere päevast to say 'good day'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
tere is the most common greeting and is appropriate for both formal and informal situations. In contrast, hei is informal. tere päevast is a more formal variation used to mean 'good day'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtere/
Did you know?
- Some linguists believe the root of tere may have originated from Indo-Iranian languages, suggesting ancient contacts between Baltic peoples and far-eastern cultures.
- When you say tere to a stranger, you are etymologically wishing them 'health'.
- The root of tere is shared with the Finnish word terve, showing a deep linguistic link between the two neighboring cultures.
Examples in context
- Tere.Hi.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of tere.Tatoeba #373343 by keegi, translation #538123 by CM
- Tere! Kuidas läheb?Hello! How are you?
- Tere, kuidas sul läheb?Hi, how are you doing?
Example conversation
Kristiina and Margus meet in a hallway.
- KristiinaTere, Margus!Hi, Margus!
- MargusTere, Kristiina.Hi, Kristiina.
- KristiinaMis sa täna teed?What are you doing today?
- MargusMa lähen täna koju.I am going home today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “hi” translations and entries tere, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tere, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
