Signification
Passing time or hanging out.
Contexte culturel
Estonians value 'oma aeg' (one's own time). 'Aega viitma' can be a way to claim that time back from a busy world. Similar to the Swedish 'fika' or Finnish 'hengailu,' 'aega viitma' often involves coffee and minimal conversation. In Tallinn, 'aega viitma' often happens in malls like Viru Keskus or Solaris, especially during the cold winter months. With high internet penetration, 'aega viitma' is now synonymous with being online.
The 'D' Rule
When you conjugate 'viitma' in the present tense (I, you, he, we, they), the 't' becomes a 'd'. Ma viidan, sa viidad...
Don't say 'viitma' to your boss
If you say you were 'aega viitmas' at work, it sounds like you were slacking off. Use 'töötama' instead!
Signification
Passing time or hanging out.
The 'D' Rule
When you conjugate 'viitma' in the present tense (I, you, he, we, they), the 't' becomes a 'd'. Ma viidan, sa viidad...
Don't say 'viitma' to your boss
If you say you were 'aega viitmas' at work, it sounds like you were slacking off. Use 'töötama' instead!
Use with 'niisama'
Adding 'niisama' (just/simply) makes it sound very native: 'Ma viidan niisama aega.'
Silence is okay
In Estonia, 'aega viitma' with someone often involves long comfortable silences. Don't feel pressured to talk!
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct form of the verb 'viitma'.
Me ______ (present tense, we) pargis aega.
The present tense 'we' form of 'viitma' is 'viidame' (t changes to d).
Which sentence is more natural for waiting at a bus stop?
Kuidas sa bussi oodates aega ______?
'Viidad' is the most natural choice for idle waiting.
Match the Estonian phrase with its English equivalent.
Match the following:
These are the four main ways to describe using time in Estonian.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Mida sa siin üksi teed? B: Ma lihtsalt ______ aega, kuni pood avatakse.
The speaker is 'I' (Ma), so the verb must be 'viidan'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Viitma vs. Veetma
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesMe ______ (present tense, we) pargis aega.
The present tense 'we' form of 'viitma' is 'viidame' (t changes to d).
Kuidas sa bussi oodates aega ______?
'Viidad' is the most natural choice for idle waiting.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
These are the four main ways to describe using time in Estonian.
A: Mida sa siin üksi teed? B: Ma lihtsalt ______ aega, kuni pood avatakse.
The speaker is 'I' (Ma), so the verb must be 'viidan'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsIt can be neutral (hanging out) or slightly negative (wasting time), depending on the tone and context.
Usually, 'tegelema' (to deal with/do) is better for hobbies, but if you are doing the hobby just to pass time, 'viitma' works.
'Viitma' is for passing time generally; 'viivitama' is specifically for delaying a task or being late.
Use: 'Ma viidan sõpradega aega.'
In a casual email to a friend, yes. In a business email, avoid it.
Because 'viitma' is a verb that requires its object to be in the partitive case.
Yes, that is the closest English equivalent when you are waiting for something.
Yes, 'Instagramis aega viitma' is a very common modern expression.
The past tense is 'viitsin' (I passed), 'viitsisid' (you passed), etc.
Yes, 'tšillima' or 'hängima' are very common slang alternatives.
No, it's usually for shorter periods (minutes or hours). For years, use 'elama' (to live) or 'veetma'.
Yes, it is related to the Finnish 'viivyttää', but the usage in Estonian is more common for 'hanging out'.
Expressions liées
Aega veetma
similarTo spend time
Aega raiskama
similarTo waste time
Aega surnuks lööma
synonymTo kill time
Aja viide
builds onPastime / hobby
Viivitama
specialized formTo delay
