Signification
A standard greeting used during the daytime hours.
Contexte culturel
Estonians value personal space. When saying 'Tere päevast', keep a distance of about an arm's length. Avoid hugging or kissing on the cheek unless you are very close. In Estonian offices, it is common to say 'Tere päevast' to everyone you pass in the morning, even if you don't work directly with them. It is considered slightly rude to start an order without a greeting. Always say 'Tere päevast' before asking for your coffee. In formal emails, 'Tere päevast' is a safe and professional way to start, followed by a comma and the person's name.
The 10-to-5 Rule
Stick to 'Tere päevast' between 10 AM and 5 PM for maximum naturalness.
Eye Contact
Always make brief eye contact when saying this; looking away can seem untrustworthy.
Signification
A standard greeting used during the daytime hours.
The 10-to-5 Rule
Stick to 'Tere päevast' between 10 AM and 5 PM for maximum naturalness.
Eye Contact
Always make brief eye contact when saying this; looking away can seem untrustworthy.
The 'Tervist' Alternative
If you forget the time, 'Tervist' is a safe bet for any hour of the day.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct greeting for 1:00 PM in a bank.
Kell on 13:00. Sa lähed panka. Mida sa ütled?
1:00 PM is the middle of the day, making 'Tere päevast' the correct choice.
Fill in the missing ending.
Tere päeva____!
The elative case ending '-st' is required for this greeting.
Match the greeting to the person.
Kellele sa ütled 'Tere päevast'?
A bus driver is a professional stranger, making 'Tere päevast' appropriate.
🎉 Score : /3
Aides visuelles
Estonian Greetings by Time
Morning (07:00-10:00)
- • Tere hommikust
Day (10:00-17:00)
- • Tere päevast
Evening (17:00-23:00)
- • Tere õhtust
Banque d exercices
3 exercicesKell on 13:00. Sa lähed panka. Mida sa ütled?
1:00 PM is the middle of the day, making 'Tere päevast' the correct choice.
Tere päeva____!
The elative case ending '-st' is required for this greeting.
Kellele sa ütled 'Tere päevast'?
A bus driver is a professional stranger, making 'Tere päevast' appropriate.
🎉 Score : /3
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, 'Tere' is universal and never wrong, but 'Tere päevast' is more polite in formal settings.
It is always 'päevast' with a 't'. 'Päevas' means 'in a day'.
Yes, it is very appropriate for a professional relationship with a boss.
You can use either 'Tere hommikust' or 'Tere päevast'. Most people switch at noon.
Yes, though the accent might differ slightly, the phrase is standard.
No, Estonians do not bow. A simple nod or just eye contact is enough.
It's a bit formal for a text. 'Tere' is more common in SMS.
Yes, Finnish has 'Hyvää päivää', which is the literal equivalent.
It's the elative case, historically meaning the greeting comes 'out of' the day.
Yes, it's a very polite way for children to greet adults.
Expressions liées
Tere hommikust
similarGood morning
Tere õhtust
similarGood evening
Tervist
similarHealth/Hello
Head aega
contrastGoodbye
Kuidas läheb?
builds onHow is it going?
Tsau
informal alternativeHi/Bye
