aitäh
/ˌɑi̯tˈtæhː/
To say 'thank you' in Estonian, you can use aitäh. If unsure, use aitäh. Wiktionary also lists tänan and täname.
Meaning: an expression of gratitude (intj)
Ways to say it
| Estonian | IPA |
|---|---|
| aitäh | /ˌɑi̯tˈtæhː/ |
| tänan | /ˈtænɑn/ |
| täname |
The phrase is an expression of gratitude. When you want to say 'thank you for [something]', you use the construction aitäh/tänan [something] eest.
Which one should you use?
aitäh is the most common, everyday way to say 'thank you' in both casual and standard situations. tänan is a more formal, single-word verb meaning 'I thank'.
How does it change in a sentence?
täname is the first-person plural form used when a group of people is expressing thanks collectively, such as 'we thank'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌɑi̯tˈtæhː/
When do people say it?
The standard response to aitäh or tänan is palun, which means both 'please' and 'you're welcome'.
Did you know?
- The common expression aitäh carries a hidden religious history, as it is a shortened version of 'may God help'.
- The word palun, used as the response to aitäh, is actually the first-person singular form of the verb 'to ask'.
- While aitäh is the standard for 'thank you', Estonians may use the phrase suur tänu to express 'great thanks' in more emotive or official contexts.
Examples in context
- Tänan väga sinu kirja eest.Thank you very much for your letter.This sentence shows how to use the verb tänan to thank someone for their letter.Tatoeba #9114423 by Reesi, translation #64421 by CM
- Tänan sind otsekohesuse eest.Thank you for your candor.This sentence shows how to use the verb tänan to thank someone for their candor.Tatoeba #4440018 by keegi, translation #2644505 by CK
- Kas sul on raske aitäh öelda?Is it difficult for you to say thank you?This sentence uses the word aitäh in a question about the difficulty of saying it.Tatoeba #11387382 by twentyplus, translation #6001465 by theupandup
- Aitäh sõbrale, kes mulle alati abiks on olnud. Suur kallistus!Thank you to a friend who has always been there for me. Big hug!
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Liis gives Kristjan a cup of coffee.
- LiisSiin on su kohv.Here is your coffee.
- KristjanAitäh, Liis!Thank you, Liis!
- LiisPalun sehr.You are very welcome.
- KristjanSee lõhnib hästi.It smells great.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “thank you” translations and entries aitäh, tänan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries aitäh, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
