1. Immerse Yourself in Estonian Culture Before You Try to Speak

If you are living in Estonia, you already have a massive advantage.
Use it.

You do not need to speak Estonian at first. You do not even need to understand it. Just go outside.

Walk around the city.
Travel across the country.
Look at street signs.
Read billboards.
Listen to conversations in cafés and buses.

This passive exposure is powerful. Your brain starts associating Estonian words with places, faces, emotions, and situations. Language stops being abstract and becomes contextual.

Attend events.
Go to gatherings.
Sit quietly at parties where Estonian is spoken.

You may not understand much at first, but your brain is learning in the background. This kind of immersion accelerates language learning more than textbooks ever will.

This is one of the biggest advantages of life in Estonia if you are serious about learning the language.

2. Learn Estonian in a Group, Not Alone

If money is not an issue, a private tutor can help. But in many cases, learning Estonian in a small group works even better.

Why?

Because learning a language is a long marathon, not a sprint.
And motivation disappears quickly when you are alone.

In a group of four or five people, something changes.
You become accountable.
You compare progress.
You feel pressure to keep up.
You push yourself more.

That pressure is healthy.

One excellent option is the Estonian Integration Foundation, which offers free language courses for non EU residents. These courses are structured, consistent, and designed for people building a long term life in Estonia.

It took me nearly two years to reach a comfortable level. That is normal. Be patient with yourself.

3. Use Language Apps to Build Vocabulary

Language apps are excellent for one thing. Vocabulary.

I personally used Speakly, and it helped me a lot. The app focuses on commonly used words and phrases, not academic language that nobody uses in real life.

Over time, something interesting happens.
You start to feel when a word sounds right or wrong.
You recognize patterns.
You develop intuition.

Speakly is not free, but if you can try a trial version, do it. Even a few months of consistent use can make a big difference in your Estonian learning journey.

Apps will not make you fluent, but they give you building blocks. And you need those blocks to survive daily life in Estonia.

4. Listen to Estonian Without Trying to Understand It

This tip helped me more than I expected.

Listen to Estonian radio.
Play Estonian podcasts.
Watch Estonian videos.
Leave it on in the background.

Do not try to translate everything. Do not pause. Do not stress.

Your brain starts picking up rhythm, tone, and structure. You begin to sense what usually comes next in a sentence. You catch repeated words. You understand the mood even when you do not understand the meaning.

Two weeks before my exam, I listened to Estonian radio constantly. Something shifted. I stopped thinking and started feeling the language.

That instinct helped me score well in the speaking section. Language is not only logic. It is also intuition.

5. Speak From Day One, Even If You Know Only Five Words

This is the most important tip.

Speak.
Immediately.
Even if you know almost nothing.

Use simple words like:

• Tere, hello
• Aitäh, thank you
• Head aega, goodbye

Use them everywhere. In shops. With colleagues. With friends.

Do not wait until you “know enough.” That moment never comes.

Mix Estonian and English. Everyone does it. That is how learning happens. Estonians appreciate the effort far more than perfect grammar.

Every time you speak, you train your brain to connect words naturally. You learn what comes next. You gain confidence.

And one day, you will say something in correct Estonian, with the right pronunciation and rhythm.
The reaction on your Estonian friends’ faces will make all the effort worth it.