The purpose of this list is to give a rough idea of the Estonian language. The words listed below are not the most common Estonian words, but a broad sampling of words. See the Word Lists page for more details.
| English | Estonian (eesti keel) |
| I | mina, ma |
| you (singular) | sina, sa |
| he | tema, ta |
| we | meie, me |
| you (plural) | teie, te |
| they | nemad, nad |
| this | see |
| that | too |
| here | siin |
| there | seal |
| who | kes |
| what | mis |
| where | kus |
| when | millal |
| how | kuidas |
| not | mitte |
| all | kõik |
| many | palju, mitu |
| some | mõni, mõned |
| few | vähe |
| other | teine |
| one | üks |
| two | kaks |
| three | kolm |
| four | neli |
| five | viis |
| big | suur |
| long | pikk |
| wide | lai |
| thick | paks |
| heavy | raske |
| small | väike |
| short | lühike |
| narrow | kitsas |
| thin | õhuke, peenike |
| woman | naine |
| man (adult male) | mees |
| man (human being) | inimene |
| child | laps |
| wife | naine |
| husband | abikaasa, mees |
| mother | ema |
| father | isa |
| animal | loom |
| fish | kala |
| bird | lind |
| dog | koer |
| louse | täi |
| snake | madu, uss |
| worm | uss |
| tree | puu |
| forest | mets |
| stick | kepp |
| fruit | vili, puuvili |
| seed | seeme |
| leaf | leht |
| root | juur |
| bark (of a tree) | koor |
| flower | õis, lill |
| grass | rohi |
| rope | köis |
| skin | nahk |
| meat | liha |
| blood | veri |
| bone | kont, luu |
| fat (noun) | rasv |
| egg | muna |
| horn | sarv |
| tail | saba |
| feather | sulg |
| hair | juuksed |
| head | pea |
| ear | kõrv |
| eye | silm |
| nose | nina |
| mouth | suu |
| tooth | hammas |
| tongue (organ) | keel |
| fingernail | küüs |
| foot | jalg |
| leg | jalg |
| knee | põlv |
| hand | käsi |
| wing | tiib |
| belly | kõht |
| guts | sisikond, soolikad |
| neck | kael |
| back | selg |
| breast | rind |
| heart | süda |
| liver | maks |
| to drink | jooma |
| to eat | sööma |
| to bite | hammustama |
| to suck | imema |
| to spit | sülitama |
| to vomit | oksendama |
| to blow | puhuma |
| to breathe | hingama |
| to laugh | naerma |
| to see | nägema |
| to hear | kuulma |
| to know | teadma |
| to think | mõtlema |
| to smell | haistma, tundma |
| to fear | kartma |
| to sleep | magama |
| to live | elama |
| to die | surema |
| to kill | tapma |
| to fight | võitlema, kaklema |
| to hunt | küttima |
| to hit | lööma |
| to cut | lõikama |
| to split | lõhestama |
| to stab | pussitama |
| to scratch | kratsima, sügama |
| to dig | kaevama |
| to swim | ujuma |
| to fly | lendama |
| to walk | kõndima |
| to come | tulema |
| to lie (as in a bed) | lamama *(state)* |
| to sit | istuma *(state)* |
| to stand | seisma *(state)* |
| to turn (intransitive) | pöörama, keerama |
| to fall | kukkuma, langema |
| to give | andma |
| to hold | hoidma |
| to squeeze | suruma, pressima |
| to rub | hõõruma |
| to wash | pesema |
| to wipe | pühkima |
| to pull | tõmbama |
| to push | tõukama |
| to throw | heitma |
| to tie | siduma |
| to sew | õmblema |
| to count | loendama |
| to say | ütlema |
| to sing | laulma |
| to play | mängima |
| to float | hõljuma, ujuma |
| to flow | voolama |
| to freeze | külmuma |
| to swell | paistetama |
| sun | päike |
| moon | kuu |
| star | täht |
| water | vesi |
| rain | vihm |
| river | jõgi |
| lake | järv |
| sea | meri |
| salt | sool |
| stone | kivi |
| sand | liiv |
| dust | tolm |
| earth | maa, muld |
| cloud | pilv |
| fog | udu |
| sky | taevas |
| wind | tuul |
| snow | lumi |
| ice | jää |
| smoke | suits |
| fire | tuli |
| ash | tuhk |
| to burn | põlema |
| road | tee |
| mountain | mägi |
| red | punane |
| green | roheline |
| yellow | kollane |
| white | valge |
| black | must |
| night | öö |
| day | päev |
| year | aasta |
| warm | soe |
| cold | külm |
| full | täis |
| new | uus |
| old | vana |
| good | hea |
| bad | halb |
| rotten | mäda |
| dirty | must, määrdunud |
| straight | sirge, otse |
| round | ümar |
| sharp (as a knife) | terav |
| dull (as a knife) | nüri |
| smooth | sile |
| wet | märg |
| dry | kuiv |
| correct | õige |
| near | lähedal |
| far | kauge |
| right | parem |