Estonian Learning Community and Resources

Learn Estonian Through Songs from Eesti Laul

The music competition Eesti Laul 2024 is in full swing, and now we have the finalists who will take the stage on the 17th of February. On that day, we’ll find out who will represent Estonia at Eurovision this year in Sweden! This is the 31st Estonian selection round in the runup to the Eurovision Song Contest. The semi-finals took place in Tartu, which is the European Capital of Culture in 2024.  

Source: Unsplash 

The Eesti Laul competition is held in high regard in the Estonian cultural landscape because it gives new artists a chance to shine nationally while also gathering some new fans abroad. You will most likely hear the songs from the finalists on repeat for months to come, because the songs are great, and the competition is tough! 

Of course, most of the songs are in English, but we have selected two of the songs that are in Estonian and translated them so the meaning behind them could be understood.  

The first song is “Serotoniin” by Anet Vaikmaa, which is a bit longer, so the whole song has not been included, but you can try your hand at translating the second half of the song yourself! You can listen to the full song here.  

Anet Vaikmaa is known for being one of the singers of the band Mahavok, so if you are a fan of her song, you can check out the band as well. 

Ma avan, kõik uksed 

I will open all the doors 

Läbi tule ja vee aeg sillutab tee 

Through fire and water time paves the way 

Kas kuuled, mu kutset 

Do you hear my call 

Nüüd algab uuesti kõik kui poleks valikuid veel 

Now it all begins again as if we have no more choices 

Ja see mõrkjas ja magus tunne mu sees 

And that bitter and sweet feeling inside me 

Äkki kaob kui sa seisad taas minu ees 

Will fade when you stand before me again 

Nii me süütame tuled, süütame tuled 

So we'll light the fires, we'll light the fires 

Helendame pimedal ööl 

We glow in the dark night 

Ma tean me kõiki öiseid teid, siin pole tagasiteed 

I know all the roads we take by night, there's no going back 

Kuid meie aeg ei lõppe nii nõnda kõneleb seitsmes meel 

But our time will not end so speaks the seventh sense 

Ja veidi veel 

And a little more 

Helendava leegina 

As a glowing flame 

Me süütame tähtedel tuled 

We light the stars 

Ja taevas teab , et see on loodud nii 

And heaven knows it's made that way 

Me südameis on serotoniin 

We have serotonin in our hearts 

And the second song in Estonian is by Peter Põder and is called “Korra veel” (“Once More). He has collaborated with many Estonian musicians and he also wrote the song that he is performing. You can listen to the full song

Korra veel tahan olla sinu ees,  

Once more I want to be in front of you,  

et käia seda teed mis me lubasime endale. 

to walk the path we promised ourselves. 

Jäljed maas, teekond mis jäi lõputa, 

Tracks on the ground, a journey that never ended, 

su laused aina kajavad, kui kõnnin meie rajal taas. 

Your words always echo as I walk our path again. 

Meist maha veel jäid vastused. 

We still left behind answers. 

Kuid sinu ees olin eile veel. 

But I was still in front of you yesterday. 

Aidata nüüdsest keegi mind ei saa, 

No one can help me now, 

enam meid ei paranda, üksi meie rajal ma. 

I'll never mend us, I'll walk our path alone. 

Vabanda! Et kõrvale Sind jätsin ma, 

Forgive me! That I left you on the side 

arvasin, et Sinuta saan kaugemale kõndida. 

I thought I could walk further without you. 

Su silmades on vastused - on need. 

There are answers in your eyes - there are. 

These are just two of the awesome songs that will be performed at the Eesti Laul 2024 final, so make sure to check out all of them if you haven’t already.  

Source: Albin Olsson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 

Let us know which one is your favorite and the one song you hope will make it to represent Estonia at Eurovision this year. Which one of the past Estonian songs or Eurovision songs that are in your heart (and playlists) to this day!