Learn Estonian Online — AI Tutor, Free to Start

Estonian is spoken by approximately 1.1 million people, almost exclusively in Estonia, where it is the sole official language. Significant diaspora communities exist in Finland, Sweden, the United States, Canada, and Australia, primarily descendants of WWII-era refugees. About 68% of Estonia's resident population uses Estonian as their first language. Russian is spoken as a first language by roughly 25% of residents, primarily in the northeast (Narva, Ida-Viru county) and in Tallinn. The language has two main dialect groups — Northern Estonian (the basis for the standard language) and Southern Estonian, which includes the endangered Võro and Seto varieties.

Keeleklikk

A free, comprehensive self-study course for Estonian as a second language, produced by the University of Tartu. Covers A1 to B2 with grammar explanations, exercises, and audio. Available online at keeleklikk.ee.

Eesti keele e-õpe (MEIS)

The Integration Foundation (MEIS) offers free online Estonian courses for residents at A1–B2, with certificates. Structured courses with a teacher, available at meis.ee/eesti-keele-oppimine.

ERR Uudised and Novaator

ERR (Estonian Public Broadcasting) publishes daily news in Estonian at err.ee. Novaator is ERR's science news branch. Reading Estonian news daily from A2+ dramatically improves vocabulary in context.

Estonian World Radio / "Õpime eesti keelt"

ERR's legacy radio series 'Õpime eesti keelt' (Let us learn Estonian) remains one of the best audio resources for beginners. Episodes are available on the ERR archive. Slow, clear speech ideal for A1–A2 listeners.

Sõnaveeb (EKSS dictionary)

The official Estonian explanatory dictionary and word database, maintained by the Institute of the Estonian Language. Available at sonaveeb.ee with morphology, collocation, and example sentences.

Forvo Estonian

Crowdsourced native-speaker pronunciations for Estonian words, with full vowel quantity audio. Useful for distinguishing short, long, and overlong vowels. Free at forvo.com/languages/et.

Lingvist is a serious vocabulary platform with a well-designed spaced-repetition algorithm. Its Estonian deck covers roughly 5,000 words and adjusts to your existing knowledge level, making it efficient for intermediate learners who already grasp the case basics. Its weakness is grammar: Lingvist does not teach cases systematically or offer conversational practice. Drops focuses on word-picture association with a gamified, visually polished interface and a 5-minute daily limit. It builds initial vocabulary recognition quickly but does not address grammar, pronunciation depth, or exam preparation. OpiFluent's advantage is its focus on productive skills — it generates dialogue contexts that require correct case selection, offers AI feedback on errors, and simulates the HARNO exam format. The honest trade-off: Lingvist is the better choice if you want a vocabulary booster alongside a course; Drops is the better choice for absolute beginners who want an easy daily habit. OpiFluent is the better choice if grammar mastery and speaking practice are your goals.

A1 (survival basics): 6–8 weeks at 20 min/day. You can introduce yourself, count, buy items, and understand very slow speech.

A2 (everyday independence): 10–14 months at 10 min/day, or 5–6 months at 30 min/day. You can handle simple transactions, follow familiar topics, and manage basic bureaucratic interactions.

B1 (HARNO citizenship threshold): 18–24 months at 30 min/day, or 12–15 months at 1h/day. You can follow workplace conversations, read Estonian news slowly, and pass the naturalization exam.

B2 (functional fluency): 3–4 years at 30 min/day. You can hold sustained conversations on abstract topics and read literature with a dictionary.

Key principle: daily 10-minute practice with spaced repetition outperforms sporadic 2-hour sessions for long-term retention.