ASEP BAGJA

Hello, language learners! Today, I’d like to share my story about learning the Estonian language and how it inspired me to develop a practical browser extension called Sõnastik. Whether you’re venturing into the world of Estonian or simply keen on broadening your linguistic horizons, this article is worth your attention.

As a software engineer residing in Estonia, I naturally sought to immerse myself in the local culture and language. Yet, like many language enthusiasts, I encountered a common obstacle. The Estonian language has fascinating intricacies, multiple-word forms, and definitions. It proved challenging for online translation tools like Google Translate, which often fell short of giving detailed explanations.

Fortunately, I stumbled upon Sonaveeb, an Estonian-to-Estonian language dictionary. This website became an invaluable resource, offering comprehensive definitions, usage examples, synonyms, and exploration of various word forms for every entry. It significantly enhanced my language learning journey.

However, there was one inconvenience that hindered my progress. Whenever I found an unfamiliar word while reading Estonian articles or posts, I felt caught in a cumbersome back-and-forth process. I had to switch between tabs, leaving the article behind to search for the word on Sonaveeb. It disrupted my flow and slowed down my language acquisition.

Driven to streamline my learning process, I embarked on a project to create a browser extension that seamlessly integrated Sonaveeb’s wealth of knowledge into my browsing experience. Thus, Sõnastik was born.

With the Sõnastik browser extension, learning Estonian has become a breeze. All I need to do is select the word I want to explore further, right-click, and choose “Explain…” from the menu. Instantly, a neat pop-up appears, displaying all the relevant information from Sonaveeb directly above the selected word. It’s like having a language assistant at my fingertips, allowing me to stay immersed in the article or post while gaining a comprehensive understanding of each word.

So, why am I sharing this with you?

I invite you to visit sonastik.ee and install the Sõnastik browser extension if you’re also on a journey to learn the Estonian language. Currently available for Firefox and Chrome, this practical tool will revolutionize your language learning experience, making it more efficient and enjoyable. And fear not, dear Safari users, as I’m diligently working to bring Sõnastik to macOS and iOS soon.