Practice a Estonian Business Meeting
Business meetings in Estonian require precision: agreeing, disagreeing, summarising, and proposing next steps without coming across too aggressive or too vague. This scenario rehearses the meeting verbs ('I propose', 'I disagree respectfully', 'Let's circle back', 'Action item:'), and the polite-but-firm register most Estonian-speaking corporate cultures expect. You'll practise turn-taking, interrupting tactfully, and closing a meeting with clear ownership of next steps. By the end, you'll contribute meaningfully in a Estonian meeting instead of staying silent.
Sample Estonian conversation
Tere hommikust kõigile. Alustame siis. Esimene punkt päevakorras on kvartali tulemused. Kas soovite alustada?
Good morning, everyone. Let's get started. The first item on the agenda is the quarterly results. Would you like to begin?Muidugi. Ma olen ette valmistanud põhinäitajate kokkuvõtte.
Of course. I've prepared a summary of the key figures.Tänan ülevaate eest. Tulu kasvas sellel kvartalil 12%. Mis teie arvates sellele kasvule kaasa aitas?
Thank you for the overview. Revenue is up 12% this quarter. What do you think contributed to this growth?Me sõlmisime sellel kvartalil kolm uut suurt lepingut.
We signed three new major clients this quarter.Suurepärane. Millised on järgmise kvartali eesmärgid? Kas on uusi strateegiaid, mida peaksime kaaluma?
Excellent. What are the goals for next quarter? Any new strategies we should consider?Ma teen ettepaneku laieneda kahele uuele turule.
I propose we expand into two new markets.
What you'll learn
- Open and close a meeting with the right etiquette
- Agree, disagree, and propose alternatives politely
- Interrupt without being rude
- Summarise discussion and assign action items
- Take notes in Estonian and follow up
Frequently asked questions
How do I disagree politely in a Estonian meeting?
Use the formula 'I see your point, but I'd suggest…' — softer than the bare 'I disagree'. The scenario rehearses several variants.
What's the Estonian for 'action item' or 'next steps'?
There's a specific business term in Estonian — increasingly an English loanword in some countries. We include both forms.
How formal is Estonian in business meetings?
Quite formal — formal 'you', complete sentences, avoid slang. The scenario uses corporate register throughout.
How do I close a Estonian meeting cleanly?
Summarise decisions, assign owners, set a follow-up date. The scenario teaches the closing phrases for each step.