Signification
A basic way to tell the time.
Contexte culturel
Estonians are very punctual. If you say 'Kell on viis' and you are meeting someone, it means you should be there at 5:00 sharp, not 5:05. The 24-hour clock is used for all official business, but in speech, people almost always use the 12-hour clock. The 'Academic Quarter' (akadeemiline veerand) means lectures often start at 15 minutes past the hour, but 'Kell on viis' still refers to the top of the hour. 5:00 PM is the 'sacred' end of the day for many. Saying 'Kell on viis' is a polite way to end a meeting.
Drop the 'See'
Never start a time sentence with 'See' (It). Just start with 'Kell'.
24h vs 12h
Use 12h numbers (1-12) in conversation, even if the digital clock says 17:00.
Signification
A basic way to tell the time.
Drop the 'See'
Never start a time sentence with 'See' (It). Just start with 'Kell'.
24h vs 12h
Use 12h numbers (1-12) in conversation, even if the digital clock says 17:00.
Add 'täpselt'
Adding 'täpselt' (exactly) makes you sound very native and precise.
Teste-toi
Fill in the missing word to say 'It is five o'clock'.
Kell ___ viis.
The verb 'on' is the correct 3rd person singular form of 'to be'.
Which sentence is the correct way to tell the time in Estonian?
How do you say 'It is five'?
Estonian uses 'Kell' as the subject for time-telling.
Match the Estonian phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
Basic number and time vocabulary matching.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Mis kell on? B: ______.
'Kell on viis' is the standard answer to 'Mis kell on?'.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Estonian vs English Time
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesKell ___ viis.
The verb 'on' is the correct 3rd person singular form of 'to be'.
How do you say 'It is five'?
Estonian uses 'Kell' as the subject for time-telling.
Associez chaque element a gauche avec son pair a droite :
Basic number and time vocabulary matching.
A: Mis kell on? B: ______.
'Kell on viis' is the standard answer to 'Mis kell on?'.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsYes, in very casual contexts, but 'Kell on viis' is better for learners.
Use 'viis hommikul' for AM and 'viis õhtul' for PM.
'Tundi' means duration. 'Kell on viis' is a point in time.
It is neutral and appropriate for any situation.
You can say 'Kell on viis läbi' (It's past five).
Only at the beginning of a sentence.
Ask 'Mis kell on?' or 'Palju kell on?'.
Yes, for telling the hour, it's always the nominative 'viis'.
Yes, but it sounds like a radio announcement.
It also means 'bell' or 'doorbell'.
Expressions liées
Mis kell on?
similarWhat time is it?
Kell viis
specialized formAt five
Pool kuus
builds onHalf past five (literally: half six)
Kell saab viis
similarIt's about to be five
Kell on palju
idiomIt's late
