Signification
Expressing a feeling of joy or satisfaction.
Contexte culturel
Estonians value 'inner joy'. You might not see a lot of jumping and shouting, but a quiet 'Ma olen rõõmus' carries a lot of weight and sincerity. During the 'Laulupidu', the phrase 'rõõm' is everywhere. It represents the collective joy of being Estonian and surviving history through song. Similar to Scandinavians, Estonians find 'rõõm' in 'hygge'-like moments—candles, coffee, and silence. The phrase is often used in these cozy contexts. In the tech-savvy culture of Estonia, 'rõõmus' is a common sentiment in Slack or Teams when a bug is fixed or a release goes well.
The 'õ' trick
To make the 'õ' sound, position your tongue for an 'o' but don't round your lips.
Plurality
Don't forget to say 'Me oleme rõõmsad' if you are with friends!
Signification
Expressing a feeling of joy or satisfaction.
The 'õ' trick
To make the 'õ' sound, position your tongue for an 'o' but don't round your lips.
Plurality
Don't forget to say 'Me oleme rõõmsad' if you are with friends!
Reacting to news
If someone tells you good news, 'Mul on hea meel' sounds slightly more native than 'Ma olen rõõmus'.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'olema'.
Me ______ täna väga rõõmsad.
'Me' (we) requires the first-person plural form 'oleme'.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'I am happy about the news'?
You need the adjective 'rõõmus' and the preposition 'üle' with the genitive 'uudise'.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Tere! Kuidas sul läheb? B: Hästi, ma sain uue töö! A: Oi, ______!
While 'ma olen rõõmus' is okay, 'mul on hea meel' is the most natural reaction to someone else's good news.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at a wedding and want to express deep, life-long happiness for the couple.
'Õnnelik' is the appropriate word for deep, significant life events.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Rõõmus vs Õnnelik
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesMe ______ täna väga rõõmsad.
'Me' (we) requires the first-person plural form 'oleme'.
How do you say 'I am happy about the news'?
You need the adjective 'rõõmus' and the preposition 'üle' with the genitive 'uudise'.
A: Tere! Kuidas sul läheb? B: Hästi, ma sain uue töö! A: Oi, ______!
While 'ma olen rõõmus' is okay, 'mul on hea meel' is the most natural reaction to someone else's good news.
You are at a wedding and want to express deep, life-long happiness for the couple.
'Õnnelik' is the appropriate word for deep, significant life events.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo, 'rõõmus' is for people or animals. For objects, use 'rõõmsameelne' (cheerful-looking) or just 'ilus' (beautiful).
'Rõõm' is the noun (joy), 'rõõmus' is the adjective (joyful).
Yes, it is perfectly neutral and professional.
Add 'väga': 'Ma olen väga rõõmus'.
No, Estonian has no grammatical gender. 'Ta on rõõmus' works for both he and she.
The most common opposite is 'kurb' (sad).
It's better to say 'Ma olen rõõmus, et ma olen sinuga' (I am happy that I am with you).
Yes, often in the context of 'Meil on rõõm teatada...' (We have the joy to announce...).
It is a long version of the 'õ' sound. Hold it for twice as long.
Extremely common, especially in folk and children's music.
Expressions liées
Mul on hea meel
synonymI am glad
Ma olen õnnelik
similarI am happy/lucky
Ma olen kurb
contrastI am sad
Rõõmustama
builds onTo rejoice / to make happy
Rõõmsameelne
specialized formCheerful
