Speaking
What the speaking section asks
The speaking part checks whether you can communicate in Estonian on familiar topics: self and family, school, hobbies, shopping, travel, health. Tasks typically include a short monologue or picture description, a role-play with the examiner, and follow-up questions. Assessors listen for fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary range, grammatical control and interactive strategies.
Core rules
- Pronounce the quantity system clearly. Overlong sounds are longer and more tense: kooli (illative) vs kooli (genitive). Stress the first syllable and keep unstressed endings audible.
- Use set phrases for interaction: Kas saaksid korrata? 'Could you repeat?'; Ma ei saa aru 'I don't understand'; Kuidas öelda...? 'How do you say...?'; Noh, ma arvan, et... 'Well, I think that...'.
- Buy time naturally with fillers: noh, siis, tegelikult, näiteks. Silence loses marks; a short paraphrase keeps the turn.
- Describe pictures in a fixed order: who/what is where, what they are doing, what happens next. Use present tense and location cases: Poiss seisab bussipeatuses 'The boy is standing at the bus stop'; Ta ootab bussi 'He is waiting for the bus'.
- In role-play, react to the examiner: ask a question back, accept or refuse politely, give a reason. Kas sa tahaksid...? - Jah, mulle meeldib... / Kahjuks ei saa, sest...
- If you do not know a word, describe it: see on selline asi, millega... 'it is a thing with which...'.
Worked example
Picture: a girl at a bus stop with a bag. A weak answer is „Tüdruk. Buss.“ A scored answer: „Pildil on tüdruk, kes seisab bussipeatuses. Tal on kott käes. Ta ootab bussi, sest ta läheb kooli.“ Reasoning: pildil on introduces the picture; kes is a relative pronoun; seisab is present tense; bussipeatuses is inessive; tal on kott käes is a natural possession phrase; sest gives a reason. This covers place, action and inference in connected speech.
Traps that cost marks
- One-word answers; extend with a reason or detail.
- Reading a prepared text word for word; it sounds flat and blocks interaction.
- Confusing location cases: koolis 'at school' vs kooli 'to school'.
- Ignoring the examiner's follow-up question because you are still planning your monologue.