Estonia
PrintPrimary tabs
Belarusian
[bel] Users: 1,660 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). Ethnic population: 12,400 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
English
[eng] Widespread. Users: 660,880 in Estonia, all users. L1 users: 880 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 660,000 (European Commission 2012). Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English.
Estonian
Estonian Sign Language
[eso] Scattered, mostly in Pärnu county and Tallinn. Users: 1,500 (Paales 2011). 1,500 signers (2014 Estonian Deaf Association), approximately 0.1% of the total population. Other estimates: 4,500 sign language users out of 1,600 deaf and 20,000 hearing impaired, 2,000 persons need regular help from interpreters (1998 U. Sutrop); 6,300 (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Recognized language (2011, No. RT1, 18.03.2011, 1, Language Act, Article 3(2)). Alternate Names: EVK, Eesti viipekeel, Viipekeel. Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Estonian, Standard
[ekk] Users: 1,050,000 in Estonia (European Commission 2012), including 1,290 speakers of Northeastern Coastal Estonian dialects, 26,800 speakers of North Estonian dialects (24,500 island dialects, 770 eastern dialects, 210 central dialects, and 1,280 western dialects), and 13,800 speakers of South Estonian dialects (9,700 Mulgi and 4,110 Tartu) (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 1,157,640. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 52(1)). Alternate Names: Eesti, Eesti Kirjakeel. Autonym: Eesti Keel. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
Finnish
[fin] Widespread. Users: 158,620 in Estonia, all users. L1 users: 2,620 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 156,000 (2012 Eurobarometer). Ethnic population: 7,420 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Uralic, Finnic.
French
[fra] Users: 18,900 in Estonia (Beck et al 2018), L2 users. Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French.
German, Standard
[deu] Users: 129,400 in Estonia, all users. L1 users: 1,400 in Estonia (2018). L2 users: 128,000 (2018 Eurostat). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Deutsch. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, High German, German, Middle German, East Middle German.
Latvian, Standard
[lvs] Users: 1,000 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). Ethnic population: 1,720 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Baltic, Eastern.
Romani, Baltic
[rml] Järva, Pärnu, and Rapla counties. Users: 360 in Estonia (2013 census). Ethnic population: 460 (2011 census). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Balt Romani, Balt Slavic Romani, Baltic Slavic Romani, Romani. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Northern.
Russian
[rus] Widespread. Users: 1,118,000 in Estonia, all users. L1 users: 383,000 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). L2 users: 735,000 (European Commission 2012). Ethnic population: 321,000 (2011 census). Status: 3 (Wider communication). Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Russian Sign Language
[rsl] Harju county: Tallinn. Users: Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language.
Ukrainian
[ukr] Users: 8,010 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). Ethnic population: 22,300 (2011 census). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, East.
Võro
[vro] Põlva, Tartu, Valga, and Võru counties. Users: 87,000 in Estonia (2013 UNSD). Seto speakers: 12,500 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 87,210. Status: 6b (Threatened). Alternate Names: Voro, Voru, Võro-Seto, Võru. Autonym: Võro kiil. Classification: Uralic, Finnic.