Meaning
A sky without clouds.
Cultural Background
Estonians often use weather talk to avoid deep personal questions. 'Selge taevas' is a safe, positive topic. In the North, a clear sky in winter means it will be extremely cold because there are no clouds to trap the heat. Estonia has several 'dark sky' areas where 'selge taevas' allows for world-class stargazing. For sailors on the Baltic, a clear sky is a sign of stable high pressure, which is generally safer for small boats.
Weather is King
In Estonia, mentioning the 'selge taevas' is the safest way to start a conversation with a stranger.
Case Sensitivity
Remember that 'selge' must change its ending if 'taevas' does. They are a team!
Meaning
A sky without clouds.
Weather is King
In Estonia, mentioning the 'selge taevas' is the safest way to start a conversation with a stranger.
Case Sensitivity
Remember that 'selge' must change its ending if 'taevas' does. They are a team!
Night Use
Use this phrase at night to compliment the stars. Estonians love their starry nights.
Test Yourself
Täida lünk õige sõnaga.
Täna on nii ______ taevas, et me näeme kaugele.
Only 'selge' (clear) makes sense in the context of seeing far.
Vali õige lause.
Which sentence is correct for 'I see a clear sky'?
The verb 'nägema' (to see) requires the partitive case.
Ühenda eesti- ja ingliskeelsed väljendid.
Match the pairs.
These are all common variations of sky descriptions.
Lõpeta dialoog.
A: Kas me lähme randa? B: Jah, sest väljas on ______ ______.
A clear sky is a good reason to go to the beach.
🎉 Score: /4
Visual Learning Aids
Sky Conditions
Practice Bank
4 exercisesTäna on nii ______ taevas, et me näeme kaugele.
Only 'selge' (clear) makes sense in the context of seeing far.
Which sentence is correct for 'I see a clear sky'?
The verb 'nägema' (to see) requires the partitive case.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are all common variations of sky descriptions.
A: Kas me lähme randa? B: Jah, sest väljas on ______ ______.
A clear sky is a good reason to go to the beach.
🎉 Score: /4
Frequently Asked Questions
10 questionsYes, 'selge vesi' means clear water. It works for anything transparent.
It is neutral. It works in a poem, a news report, or a text to a friend.
The opposite is 'pilvine taevas' (cloudy sky) or 'pilves ilm' (cloudy weather).
Contextually, yes. 'Selge taevas' can mean 'Clear heaven' in a religious text.
Use the verb: 'Taevas selgineb'.
Both are correct. The first is a phrase, the second is a sentence.
Yes, that means 'blue clear sky' and is very common.
Because 'puhas' implies the absence of dirt, not the absence of clouds.
Yes, many Estonian pop and folk songs use it to describe beauty.
Yes, but it usually implies it will be very cold.
Related Phrases
selge pilt
similarI see/understand
nagu välk selgest taevast
specialized formLike a bolt from the blue
pilvitu taevas
synonymCloudless sky
hall taevas
contrastGrey sky
