tere / head aega
Greetings
Tere! means hello at any time of day, and Head aega! means goodbye.
How It Works
Hello
- Tere! Hello. Fine with anyone, at any time.
- Tere hommikust! Good morning. Tere päevast! Good afternoon. Tere õhtust! Good evening.
- Tervist! Another way to say hello.
- Tšau! Hi. Casual, for friends.
- Tere tulemast! Welcome!
Goodbye
- Head aega! Goodbye. Neutral and polite.
- Nägemist! Goodbye, see you.
- Head päeva! Have a nice day. Head õhtut! Have a nice evening.
- Head ööd! Good night, when you part or go to bed.
- Homseni! See you tomorrow.
- Tšau! Bye. Casual, for friends.
Why the endings? The goodbye wishes are in the partitive, as if you said "(I wish you) a good time": head aega, head ööd. The time-of-day hellos end in -st: tere hommikust. You do not need to build these yourself; learn them as whole phrases.
Good night is only for parting. To greet someone late in the evening, say Tere õhtust! Say Head ööd! when you leave or go to bed.
What comes next. After tere, people often ask Kuidas läheb? (How is it going?); see kuidas. With a stranger or an older person, use teie: Kuidas teil läheb? See Familiar sina and Polite teie. For thanks, see Please and Thank You.
Examples (6)
- Tere! Kuidas läheb?
Hello! How is it going?
- Tere hommikust!
Good morning!
- Head aega ja aitäh!
Goodbye, and thank you!
- Nägemist, homseni!
Bye, see you tomorrow!
- Head ööd!
Good night!
Said when parting or going to bed.
- Tere tulemast Eestisse!
Welcome to Estonia!
Eesti becomes Eestisse: to Estonia.
Common Mistakes
Greeting someone with Head ööd.
Head ööd! Kuidas läheb?Tere õhtust! Kuidas läheb?Head ööd is only for parting or going to bed. To greet someone in the evening, say Tere õhtust.
Using the basic form in a wish.
Hea aeg!Head aega!The goodbye is a fixed phrase in the partitive: head aega. Hea aeg just means a good time.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- palun / aitähPlease and Thank You
Please and thank you, used alongside greetings.
Level 1 - sina / teieFamiliar Sina and Polite Teie
Choosing between familiar and polite you when greeting.
Level 1 - kuidasHow (Kuidas)
Kuidas läheb? usually follows tere.
Level 1 - Partitive (Part Form)
The case in head aega and head ööd.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice tere / head aega in Bubblegum
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