elu
The Estonian word for "life" is elu.
elu refers to the state of being alive.
Meaning: the state of being alive (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
elu is the nominative singular form of the noun.
Did you know?
- The word eluvägi combines elu (life) and vägi (power), describing a spiritual or primal energy that exists within all living things.
- The word elu is a cognate of the Finnish word elo, which can refer to 'life' but also specifically to 'harvest time' or 'grain'.
- In Estonian folk songs, 'life' is often metaphorically described as a 'path' (tee), and saying someone has reached the 'end of the path' is a common poetic euphemism for death.
Examples in context
- Mul on tore elu.I have a great life.This sentence is useful for expressing that one has a great life using elu.Tatoeba #9112890 by Reesi, translation #1130681 by Scott
- See on elu tõsiasi.It's a fact of life.This sentence is useful for describing a fact of life using elu.Tatoeba #4425916 by keegi, translation #2682183 by Hybrid
- Tom päästis mu elu.Tom saved my life.This sentence is useful for stating that someone saved a life using elu.Tatoeba #5076985 by hubin, translation #2984465 by Hybrid
- Ma armastan elu ja selle ilu.I love life and its beauty.
- 10 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Toomas and Mari are talking about their dreams.
- ToomasKuidas sa kujutled oma tulevast elu?How do you imagine your future life?
- MariMa tahan lihtsat ja rahulikku elu.I want a simple and peaceful life.
- ToomasSee kõlab nagu ideaalne elu.That sounds like an ideal life.
- MariJah, see on mu suur unistus.Yes, that is my big dream.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “life” translations and entries elu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries elu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
