Meaning
An intelligent young male.
Cultural Background
Estonians value 'quiet' intelligence. A 'tark poiss' is often someone who listens more than he talks. The 'e-Estonia' identity means that technical literacy is a key part of being considered 'tark' today. In folklore, the 'tark' was a shaman. This gives the word a slightly more profound weight than just 'smart'. School success is highly celebrated. PISA results are a matter of national pride.
Use it for pets!
You can call a male dog a 'tark poiss' if he does a trick correctly.
Gender matters
Always use 'tark tüdruk' for females to avoid confusion.
Meaning
An intelligent young male.
Use it for pets!
You can call a male dog a 'tark poiss' if he does a trick correctly.
Gender matters
Always use 'tark tüdruk' for females to avoid confusion.
The 'Üks' addition
Adding 'üks' (one) before the phrase makes it sound more natural and emphatic: 'Ta on üks tark poiss.'
Test Yourself
Fill in the correct form of 'tark poiss'.
Sa oled väga ______.
In a direct compliment like 'You are...', we use the nominative case.
Which sentence is correct?
How do you say 'I see a smart boy'?
The verb 'nägema' (to see) requires the partitive case for the object.
Match the Estonian phrase with its English meaning.
Match the following:
These are common variations of praise.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
3 exercisesSa oled väga ______.
In a direct compliment like 'You are...', we use the nominative case.
How do you say 'I see a smart boy'?
The verb 'nägema' (to see) requires the partitive case for the object.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
These are common variations of praise.
🎉 Score: /3
Frequently Asked Questions
3 questionsYes, but only jokingly. It sounds like you are praising a child.
The plural is 'targad poisid'.
No, it is 99% of the time a compliment. Only sarcasm makes it an insult.
Related Phrases
tubli poiss
similargood/diligent boy
tarkpea
specialized formsmart-head / know-it-all
nutikas poiss
synonymclever/resourceful boy
loll poiss
contraststupid boy
