Sport News in July

Let's continue on the Wimbledon tennis theme since the Estonian esireket Kaia Kanepi has managed to get to the quarter finals there! Today she will play against Sabine Lisicki from Germany whom she has never met yet (Kanepi pole Lisickiga varem kohtunud). Postimees writes:

Eesti esireket Kaia Kanepi (WTA 46.) kohtub teisipäeval Wimbledoni suure slämmi tenniseturniiril 23. asetatud Saksamaa tennisisti Sabine Lisickiga (WTA 24.), mängust teeb otseülekande ka ETV.

Kohtumine algab Eesti aja järgi kell 15, otseülekanne algab kell 14:50. Mängu kommenteerivad Anu Säärits ja Toomas Kuum, vahendab ERR Sport.

Kanepi pole Lisickiga varem kohtunud, 2011. aasta Pekingi turniiril oli Lisicki sunnitud eestlannale mänguta andma loobumisvõidu.

Esmaspäevases kaheksandikfinaalis alistas Kanepi brittide lootuse Laura Robsoni (WTA 38.), Lisicki aga lülitas konkurentsist välja maailma esireketi Serena Williamsi.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
alkaa = algab = starts
brittien toivo = brittide lootus = the Brittish hope
Eestin aikaan, Viron aikaan = Eesti aja järgi = Estonian time (at)
ei ole kohdannut aikaisemmin = pole varem kohtunud = hasn't faced (her) before
kilpailu = konkurents = competition
kohdata = kohtada = to face
kohtaa tiistaina = kohtub teisipäeval = will face on Tuesday
luovutusvoitto = loobumisvõit = walkover
maailman ykkönen tenniksessä = maailma esireket = the world number one (in tennis)
maanantai = esmaspäev = Monday
maanantaisessa neljännen kierroksen ottelussa  = esmaspäevases kaheksandikfinaalis = in the 4th round match on Monday
ottelu = mäng = match
pakotettu = sunnitud = forced to
passitti ulos kilpailusta = lülitas konkurentsist välja = beat out of the competition
peli-erä-ottelu = geim-sett-mäng = game-set-match
peliä kommentoivat = mängu kommenteerivad = the game will be commented by
puolivälierä = veerandfinaal = quarterfinal
Saksa = Saksamaa = Germany
saksalainen = sakslane = German
saksatar = sakslanna = German (female)
seedattu = asetatud = seeded
suora lähetys = otseülekanne = live broadcast
tennis = tennis = tennis
tiistaina = teisipäeval = on Tuesday
ykköspelaaja = esireket = number one in tennis
vastaan = vastu = against
välierä = poolfinaal = semifinal 

Estonian visitors in Finland

The distance between Tallinn and Helsinki is a mere 83 kilometers. This plus the fact that many Estonians work in Finland makes for lots of trips between the two cities by Estonians. Or as Postimees wrote on the subject the other day:

"Eesti elanikud käisid eelmisel aastal Soomes 758 000 korral, mis on seitse protsenti enam kui 2011. aastal ning moodustab kümnendiku kõikidest Soomes käivatest turistidest, teatas Soome statistikaamet. Kõige enam käis Soomes turiste Venemaalt (3,58 miljonit), teisel kohal on eestlased ja kolmandal kohal rootslased (0,7 miljonit turisti)."

Anything there you didn't understand?

Consult the vocabulary below :)

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
eestiläiset/virolaiset = Eesti elanikud, eestlased = Estonian residents
etäisyys = distants = distance
ja = ning = and
kaikista Suomessa käyneistä turisteista = kõikidest Soomes käivatest turistidest = of all the tourists visiting Finland
kaikkein eniten = kõige enam = most (visitors)
kolmannella sijalla = kolmandal kohal = in third place
kymmenesosa = kümnendik = one tenth
käydä = käia/käima = to visit, go to
mikä on = mis on = which is
muodostaa = moodustab = makes (for)
ruotsalaiset = rootslased = the Swedes
seitsemän prosenttia enemmän kuin = seitse protsenti enam kui = seven percents more than
Suomen tilastokeskus = Soome statistikaamet = Statistics Finland
Suomessa = Soomes = in Finland
tiedottaa = teatada = to report
toisella sijalla = teisel kohal = in second place
turisti = turist = tourist
Venäjä = Venemaa = Russia
viime vuonna = eelmisel aastal = last year
vuosi = aasta = year

conjugation of "käydä = käia = to visit, go to"
Present tense: FIN: käyn, käyt, käy, käymme, käytte, käyvät =
                       EST: käin, käid, käib, käime, käite, käivad = I visit, you visit, etc
Past tense:      FIN: kävin, kävit, kävi, kävimme, kävitte, kävivät
                       EST: käisin, käisid, käis, käisime, käisite, käisid = I visited, you visited, etc

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to you all! Many  Finns head for the countryside as we wish each other "Hauskaa pääsiäistä!" Besides being a religious festivity, it is the promise of the coming spring! In Estonian you may wish "Ilusaid lihavõtteid!" Both countries have their special Easter treats. Egg plays of course a central role, but in Finland we have this very special sweet rye treat called mämmi - definitely an acquired taste, but you should try it once (tastes far better than it looks)! There are all kinds of traditions and beliefs playing out in Easter, and in Finland the most obvious is the little girls dressed out as witches. Their task: to drive away evil spirits from homes - and for that they expect to be rewarded with sweets (or other treats) - a bit like Halloween in the U.S. Other kids look for hidden Easter eggs at home - a fun tradition for the whole family.

PS. Don't forget to move your clock/watch one hour ahead on Sunday.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary

herkku = delikatess = treat

kananmuna = muna = egg

maistuu paremmalta kuin miltä näyttää = tastes better than it looks

makeiset, karkit, namut = komme = sweets

noita = nõid = witch

paha henki = kuri vaim = evil spirit
pitkäperjantai = suur reede  = Good Friday

pääsiäinen = lihavõtted = Easter
pääsiäislauantai = = Easter Saturday

pääsiäismuna = lihavõttemuna = Easter egg
pääsiäissunnuntai = = Easter Sunday

ruis = rukis = rye
toinen pääsiäispäivä = = Easter Monday

uskonnollinen juhla = religioosne pidu = religious festivity

Any questions?

Any questions? For example "Kas sul on lapsi?" or "Kui vana sa oled? Or, maybe more important to a visitor, "How do I get to point A?" (with a map at hand). You could always throw in "En puhu paljon suomea" or "Ma ei räägi palju eesti keelt" to get a sympathetic ear before you ask that "Could you please help me?" It is always good to be able to ask, so you may get an answer - maybe even the correct one! Any questions? Read below for more. Or here, in Wikitravel's  Finnish and Estonian phrasebooks.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary

En puhu paljon suomea/eestiä = Ma ei räägi palju soome keelt/eesti keelt = I don't speak a lot of Finnish/Estonian
kartta = kaart = map
kuka = kes = who?
kysymyssana = küsimus sõna = question word
miksi = miks = why?
Minkä maalainen sinä olet? = Mis on sinu rahvus? = What is your nationality?
minne = kust?????? = whereto?
missä = kui = where?
mistä = kust = from where?
miten, kuinka = kuidas = how?
Miten voit? Miten menee? = Kuidas läheb? Kuidas elad? Kuidas käsi käeb? = How are you? How are things?
Miten vanha sinä olet? = Kui vana sa oled? = How old are you?
mitä = mis = what?
Onko sinulla lapsia? = Kas sul on lapsi ? = Do you have kids?
Voisitteko auttaa minua? = "Vabandage, "Could you please help me?"

Vernal equinox

Up north we always look forward to the spring after another winter that seems just too long. Aren't we almost kind of entitled to spring latest by the spring equinox? So if and when takatalvi announces its coming, it is a bit disheartening for many of us. Still we all know that kevad on ukse ees. The days are getting longer after the equinox, the sun is melting the snow and ice, and there comes a day that the pavements are cleared from the winter's sand and you no longer have to watch your steps. Eläköön kevät!

PS. The spring equinox is around March 20th. Blackberry winter falls by definition after the equinox.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
Eläköön kevät! = Elagu kevad! = Long live the spring!
jalkakäytävä = kõnnitee = pavement, sidewalk
kevät = kevad = spring
kevätpäiväntasaus = kevadine pööripäev, kevadine võrdpäevsus = vernal equinox, spring equinox
liian pitkä = liiga pikk = too long
lumi ja jää = lumi ja jää = snow and ice
olla oikeutettu = õigust omada = to be entitled to 
ovella = ukse ees, uksel = at the door
pohjoisessa = põhjapool = up north, in the north
päivät pitenevät = päevad pikenevad = the days are getting longer
takatalvi = tagatalv = blackberry winter
varoa askeleitaan = ettevaatlikult kõndida = to watch one's steps
viimeistään = hiljemalt = latest (by)

The Baltic Guide

The Baltic Guide  is a newspaper specializing in travel information about the Baltic countries, especially Estonia. It comes in Finnish, Estonian and Swedish (which is mostly in English), and you can read it both in the internet and in paper version. The ajaleht is made available in numerous, strategic places (check the locations here), and yes, it is for free! Online you can also open the e-paper version of the Baltic Guide (also in Russian). This is a really neat thing to read if you are going to Tallinn - full of information about the things to do there, when and where and how to go. Good enough maps, current events, cultural tidbits and lots more. And if you are really into the Baltic countries - and/or want to support this fine paper - you may want to subscribe to the Guide. Teretulemast Eestisse! 

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary 
ajankohtaiset tapahtumat = päevasündmused = current events

Baltian maat = Baltimaad = the Baltic countries

erikoistunut = spetsialiseerunud = specializing in

ilmainen = tasuta = for free, free of charge

lukuisa =  arvukas, rohkearvuline = numerous

matkailija, matkustaja = reisija = traveler

paperiversio = paper version
strateginen = strateegiline = strategic

sanomalehti = ajaleht = newspaper

Estonian Independence Day

Happy Independende Day, Estonia! Every 24th of February since 1918  Estonians celebrate their independence - now for the 95th time. Public celebrations discontinued during the Soviet occupation years 1940-1991, but since the declaration of independence in August 1991, the Eesti vabariigi aastapäev is celebrated with renewed fervor. The place to be in Tallinn is Jüriöö Park, but now also Vabaduse Väljak, finally ready after renovations. Read here a Postimees article about it. Head vabariigi aastapäeva, Eesti!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
aikana = ajal, jooksul = during
itsenäisyysjulistus = iseseisvusdeklaratsioon = declaration of independence
itsenäisyyspäivä = iseseisvuspäev = independence day
juhlia itsenäisyyspäivää = iseseisvuspäeva tähistada = to celebrate independence day
julistaa itsenäisyys = iseseisvust kuulutada = to declare independence
keskeytyä, jäädä katkolle = katkestada = to discontinue
miehitys = okupeerimine = occupation (political)
palo, into = ind = fervor
remontti = uuendus, renovatsioon = renovation
tasavalta = vabariik = republic
vapaus = vabadus = freedom
vuosipäivä = aastapäev = anniversary

Happy Valentine!

Happy Valentine to you all! Valentine's Day has for years been observed in Finland and Estonia as well, and though it has - like Christmas - heavy commercial undertones  - it is still a day when we want to remember our friends and toivottaa heille Hyvää ystävänpäivää or Head sõbrapäeva! We send our friends greeting cards or text messages, share with them a Valentine's Day cake, treat them to heart-shaped  - or just plain ordinary - šokolaad. And then of course, to that someone special, something special! Hyvää ystävänpäivää teille kaikille! Head valentinipäeva teile kõigile!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
Hyvää ystävänpäivää! = Head sõbrapäeva! = Happy Valentine!
jaamme = jagame = we share
kaupallinen = kaubanduslik = commercial
mielitietty, rakas = (that) someone special
muistaa = mälestada = to remember
rakas, armas, kulta = armas, kallike = darling, dear, beloved
rakkaus = armastus = love 
suklaa = šokolaad = chocolate
sydämenmuotoinen = südamekujuline = heart-shaped
sydän = süda = heart
tarjoamme = pakkume = we treat (them) to
tavallinen = tavaline, harilik = ordinary
teille kaikille = teile kõigile = to you all
tekstiviesti = tekstsõnum = text message
toivottaa heille = soovida neile = to wish them
ystävyys = sõprus = friendship
ystävillemme = meie sõpradele = to our friends 
ystävä = sõber = friend 
ystävänpäivä = valentinipäev, sõbrapäev = (Saint) Valentine's Day
 

Merry Christmas!

Hyvää Joulua! Häid Jõule!

There is so much to say about Christmas and also about the differences between the Finnish and the Estonian ways to celebrate it that this blog won't even go there! Let's just have some taste samples for days to come (all in the Finnish partitive case): for example glögiä, graavilohta, joululimppua, kalkkunaa, karjalanpaistia, kinkkua, lanttulaatikkoa, lihapullia, lipeäkalaa, maapähkinöitä ja rusinaa, perunamuusia, piparkakkuja, porkkanalaatikkoa, riisipuuroa, rosollia ja tähtitorttuja. And of course lots of suklaata! You can almost taste all that, can't you! Fancy anything? Here are also some Estonian Christmas treats, there among hapukapsas, kartulisalat, sealiha ja verivorst. Another good Estonian link here. Most of the links in the vocabulary take you to some great Christmas  recepies! Bon appetit! And a very Merry Christmas!

joulusanasto = jõulusõnastik = Christmas vocabulary
glögi = mulled wine
graavilohi = graavilõhe =  gravlax
hapankaali = hapukapsas = sauerkraut
Hyvää joulua! = Häid Jõule! = Merry Christmas!
Hyvää ruokahalua! =Head isu! = Bon appetit!
joulu = Jõulud = Christmas
jouluaatto = jõululaupäev = Christmas Eve
jouluateria = jõulusöök = Christmas dinner
joululahja =  jõulukink, jõulukingitus = Christmas present
joulukuusi = jõulukuusk = Christmas tree
joululimppu = Christmas loaf
joulupukki = jõuluvana = Santa Claus , Father Christmas
kalkkuna = kalkun = turkey
karjalanpaisti = Karelian hot pot, Karelian stew
kinkku = sink = ham
lanttulaatikko = kaalikavorm = rutabaga casserole,  swede bake
lihapullat, lihapyörykät = lihapallid = meat balls
lipeäkala = libekala = lutefisk
lohi = lõhe = salmon
maapähkinä = maapähkel = peanut
Mitä haluat joululahjaksi? = Mida sa jõuludeks tahad? = What do you want for Christmas?
perhe = perekond = family
perunamuusi = kartulipuder = mashed potatoes
perunasalaatti = kartulisalat = potato salad
piparkakku = piparkook = gingerbread cookie
porkkanalaatikko =porgandivorm (Soome moodi) = carrot bake
resepti/reseptit = retsept/retseptid = recepy/recepies
riisipuuro = riisipuder  = rice porridge
rosolli = salad made of mostly redbeet, carrot and potato
rusina = rosin = raisin
sianliha = sealiha = pork
suklaa =šokolaad = chocolate
tähtitorttu, joulutorttu = plum tartlet, Finnish Christmas star
verimakkara =verivorst = blood sausage

Tähtitortut

Happy Father's Day

Hyvää Isäinpäivää! Father's Day is celebrated today - novembriku teisel pühapäeval - in Finland and Estonia, and also in Sweden, Norway and Iceland. We also celebrate all vanaisad, light a kynttilä for those fathers who are not with or among us anymore, and hopefully bake a cake for those who are. Head Isadepäeva!

 
sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
enää = enam = anymore
Hyvää Isäinpäivää = Head Isadepäeva = Happy Father's Day
Islanti = Island = Iceland
isoisä, vaari = vanaisa = grandfather
isä = isa = father
isäinpäivä = Isadepäev = Father's Day
kakku = kook, tort = cake
kanssamme = koos meiega = with us
keskuudessamme = meie seas = among us
kynttilä = küünal = candle
marraskuun toisena sunnuntaina = novembriku teisel pühapäeval = on the second Sunday of November
myös  = ka, samuti  = also
Norja = Norra = Norway
Onnea isi =  Congrats dad(dy)
sytyttää kynttilä = küünla põlema panna, kuünla süüdata = to light a candle
viettää isäinpäivää =  to celebrate Father's Day

Updated 11.11.2012

Baltic Sea

Let's look at our very own piece of waterway: the Baltic Sea (this is one of many articles about it). Surrounded by nine countries - Soome, Venemaa, Eesti, Läti, Leedu, Poola, Saksamaa, Taani ja Rootsi (from left to right around the sea) - it affects the lives of millions of people - maybe yours as well.  There are over 200 ports in the Baltic Sea. You may find it a bit peculiar that in Finnish it is called the East Sea (Itämeri) and in Estonian the West Sea (Läänemeri), but it is of course for historical reasons since Finland used to be part of Sweden.

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
Eesti/Viro = Eesti = Estonia
historiallisista syistä = ajaloolistel põhjustel = for historical reasons
Itämeri = Läänemeri = Baltic Sea
Latvia = Läti = Latvia
Liettua = Leedu = Lithuania
omituinen, kummallinen = imelik, kummaline = peculiar, strange, odd
osa  = osa = part
Pohjanlahti = Põhjalaht = Gulf of Bothnia
Puola = Poola = Poland
Ruotsi = Rootsi = Sweden
Saksa = Saksamaa = Germany
satama = sadam = port
sitä kutsutaan = seda nimetatakse, seda kutsutakse = it is called
Suomenlahti = Soomelaht = Gulf of Finland
Suomi = Soome = Finland
Tanska = Taani = Denmark
vaikuttaa = mõjuda, mõju avaldada = to affect
Venäjä = Venemaa = Russia
vesitie = veetee = water way
ympäröidä = ümbritseda = to surround

Updated 6.11.2012