Bedeutung
Informal loanword for an apology.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Using 'sorri' is a way to signal that you are 'modern' and 'Western-facing'. It's very common in the startup scene in Tallinn. Many older Estonians value linguistic purity and may find 'sorri' to be an annoying 'Anglicism'. Use 'vabandust' with them to show respect. In the world of e-residency and IT, English and Estonian blend constantly. 'Sorri' is the default apology in Slack channels and Jira comments. Estonians and Finns share this loanword (Finnish: 'sori'). It's a rare case where both languages adopted the same English slang with similar phonetic tweaks.
The 'R' Rule
Make sure to roll the 'r'. If you say it with an English 'r', people will understand you, but you'll sound like a tourist.
The Boss Test
If you wouldn't wear a t-shirt and shorts to a meeting with them, don't use 'sorri'.
Bedeutung
Informal loanword for an apology.
The 'R' Rule
Make sure to roll the 'r'. If you say it with an English 'r', people will understand you, but you'll sound like a tourist.
The Boss Test
If you wouldn't wear a t-shirt and shorts to a meeting with them, don't use 'sorri'.
Texting Vibe
Use 'sorrki' with a smiley face to show you're being extra friendly after a small mistake.
Estonian Silence
Sometimes Estonians don't say anything for a tiny bump. If they don't say 'sorri', don't take it personally!
Teste dich selbst
Choose the most appropriate word for bumping into a friend at a party.
Oi, ____! Ma ei näinud sind.
'Sorri' is the perfect casual apology for minor physical contact among friends.
Match the apology to the situation.
1. Serious car accident, 2. Spilling a drop of water, 3. Meeting the President.
Scale of formality: Sorri (casual) < Vabandust (neutral/formal) < Südamest vabandust (deeply sincere).
Fill in the blank with the 'cute' slang version of sorri.
____, et ma nii hilja vastan! 😇
'Sorrki' is the diminutive, friendly version often used in texts with emojis.
Complete the dialogue between two teenagers.
A: Sa unustasid mu raamatu koju! B: ____, ma täiesti unustasin.
Teenagers almost exclusively use 'sorri' for such minor peer-to-peer issues.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Apology Formality Scale
Where to use 'Sorri'
Safe
- • Friends
- • Texts
- • Parties
- • Gaming
Risky
- • Work
- • Strangers
- • Teachers
Avoid
- • Funerals
- • Court
- • Elders
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenOi, ____! Ma ei näinud sind.
'Sorri' is the perfect casual apology for minor physical contact among friends.
1. Serious car accident, 2. Spilling a drop of water, 3. Meeting the President.
Scale of formality: Sorri (casual) < Vabandust (neutral/formal) < Südamest vabandust (deeply sincere).
____, et ma nii hilja vastan! 😇
'Sorrki' is the diminutive, friendly version often used in texts with emojis.
A: Sa unustasid mu raamatu koju! B: ____, ma täiesti unustasin.
Teenagers almost exclusively use 'sorri' for such minor peer-to-peer issues.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenIt is a loanword that is now part of the informal Estonian vocabulary. It is found in slang dictionaries but not formal academic ones.
Only if the email is to a close colleague or a friend. For clients or bosses, use 'vabandust'.
Estonian spelling reflects pronunciation. The double 'r' indicates a longer, rolled sound which is natural to Estonian ears.
It's not rude among peers, but it can be seen as lazy or disrespectful by older people or in formal settings.
'Oih' is an exclamation like 'Oops!', while 'sorri' is the actual apology that follows it.
They say 'sorri' with an Estonian accent. Saying it with a perfect American accent sounds out of place.
It is more common among women or in romantic/very close friendships, but anyone can use it to be playful.
The most common response is 'pole midagi' (it's nothing) or 'pole viga' (no problem).
Yes, it's common in slang, though grammatically it's a direct copy of the English 'I am sorry'.
Yes, though it is much more prevalent in cities like Tallinn and Tartu than in rural areas.
Verwandte Redewendungen
vabandust
synonymExcuse me / Sorry
andestust
synonymForgiveness / Pardon
mu viga
builds onMy mistake
pole viga
contrastNo problem / It's okay
oih
similarOops
