Practice Renting an Apartment in Estonian
Renting an apartment in a Estonian-speaking country combines tour-and-pitch conversation with the legal-document register — and the words you need to negotiate confidently are very different from textbook Estonian. This scenario walks through visiting an apartment, asking the right questions about utilities and contracts, negotiating the deposit, and signing the lease. You'll practise the formal register for landlord conversations, the vocabulary for fittings and amenities, and the polite-but-firm language for raising concerns about the price or the condition.
Sample Estonian conversation
Tere! Tere tulemast vaatamisele. Mina olen üürileandja. Kas olete juba kaua korterit otsinud?
Hello! Welcome to the viewing. I'm the landlord. Have you been looking for an apartment for long?Ma alustasin just otsimist. See on esimene koht, mida ma külastan.
I just started looking. This is the first place I've visited.Lubage mul teile näidata! See on elutuba — siia tuleb palju loomulikku valgust. Köök on siin. Mis te arvate?
Let me show you around! This is the living room — it gets a lot of natural light. The kitchen is through here. What do you think?Mulle meeldib loomulik valgus! Elutuba on väga avar.
I love the natural light! The living room is very spacious.Köök renoveeriti eelmisel aastal. Kaasas on külmkapp, ahi ja nõudepesumasin. Kõik on üüris sees.
The kitchen was renovated last year. It comes with a fridge, oven, and dishwasher. All included in the rent.See on tõesti ilus köök! Mulle meeldib, et seadmed on kaasas.
That's a really nice kitchen! I love that the appliances are included.
What you'll learn
- Tour an apartment and ask the key questions
- Understand monthly rent vs deposits vs utilities
- Negotiate the price and lease terms politely
- Read and discuss a Estonian-language rental contract
- Set up utilities and arrange the move-in date
Frequently asked questions
What questions should I ask when viewing an apartment in Estonian?
Ask about utilities, internet, building rules, and what's included. The scenario rehearses the standard questions.
How is the deposit handled in Estonian-speaking rental markets?
It varies widely — typically 1–3 months' rent. The scenario teaches the question 'How is the deposit handled?'.
Can I negotiate rent in Estonian?
Often yes, especially for longer leases. The scenario rehearses 'Would you consider X?' as a soft opener.
What's the Estonian for 'utilities included'?
A specific phrase — included in the vocabulary list — that decides whether the headline rent matches your actual cost.