Bedeutung
Stating that you do not have much time.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Estonians are known for being reserved and valuing their personal space. Saying 'Mul on kiire' is a socially acceptable 'shield' to avoid long social interactions without being seen as rude. In Estonian startups, 'kiire' is often a positive state. It implies growth and activity. However, in traditional bureaucracy, it might be used as an excuse for delays. Like their Finnish neighbors, Estonians view time as a precious resource. 'Mul on kiire' is a statement of fact, not an exaggeration. In Tallinn, everyone has 'kiire.' In the islands (Saaremaa, Hiiumaa), life is 'mõnus' (pleasant/slow), and saying 'mul on kiire' too often might make you seem stressed.
Softening the blow
Add 'natuke' (a little) to make 'Mul on kiire' sound less abrupt.
Don't say 'Ma olen'
Avoid 'Ma olen kiire' unless you are bragging about your running speed!
Bedeutung
Stating that you do not have much time.
Softening the blow
Add 'natuke' (a little) to make 'Mul on kiire' sound less abrupt.
Don't say 'Ma olen'
Avoid 'Ma olen kiire' unless you are bragging about your running speed!
The 'Vabandust' sandwich
Always start with 'Vabandust' (Sorry) if you are using this to leave a conversation.
Punctuality is King
In Estonia, if you have 'kiire', it's a valid excuse for almost anything except being late to a wedding.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing word to say 'I am in a hurry.'
Vabandust, ______ on kiire.
In Estonian, we use the adessive case 'Mul' (on me) with 'on kiire.'
Which sentence means 'I was in a hurry yesterday'?
Select the correct past tense form:
To form the past tense, change 'on' to 'oli'.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
You are late for a meeting and need to leave your friend.
'Mul on kiire' is the standard way to explain you are rushing.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Kas sa tahad täna kinno tulla? B: Ei saa, mul on täna väga ______.
The nominative 'kiire' is used in this fixed expression.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Ma olen vs Mul on
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenVabandust, ______ on kiire.
In Estonian, we use the adessive case 'Mul' (on me) with 'on kiire.'
Select the correct past tense form:
To form the past tense, change 'on' to 'oli'.
You are late for a meeting and need to leave your friend.
'Mul on kiire' is the standard way to explain you are rushing.
A: Kas sa tahad täna kinno tulla? B: Ei saa, mul on täna väga ______.
The nominative 'kiire' is used in this fixed expression.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
12 FragenNo, it's neutral. However, adding 'vabandust' (sorry) makes it much more polite.
Yes, it's common to say 'Mul on praegu kiire aeg' (I have a busy time right now) in professional emails.
'Kiire' is more common and modern; 'rutt' is slightly more formal or literary.
Use 'Mul on jube kiire' or 'Mul on tuline kiire'.
Estonian uses the adessive case (-l) to show states that are 'on' a person.
No, 'kiiresti' is an adverb. You need the noun/adjective form 'kiire'.
Yes, it covers both physical rushing and having a lot of work.
Ask: 'Kas sul on kiire?'
The past tense is 'Mul oli kiire'.
Yes, it becomes 'Meil on kiire'.
Yes, 'Ma pean tuld tõmbama' is a common slang way to say you need to rush off.
No, it's for people. For a fast car, you'd say 'See on kiire auto'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
Mul on rutt
synonymI am in a hurry
Kiiresti
builds onQuickly
Võta vabalt
contrastTake it easy
Mul on aega
contrastI have time
Kiiret pole
similarThere is no hurry
Tuld tõmbama
specialized formTo leave quickly
