Hääled

Hääled is the plural form of the Estonian noun hääl, meaning voice, tone, or sound. The term refers to human or animal vocalizations as well as the timbre or quality of a sound. It is widely used in everyday language and in media to discuss singing, speaking, or musical performance, and it often appears in plural when describing multiple voices or layers of sound.

In music and performing arts, hääled denotes singing voices or parts within a choir, and can describe the overall sound of a performance. Commonly, hääled are described by voice type, such as soprano, alto, tenor, or bass, when discussing choral texture and vocal arrangement.

In literature, journalism, and education, the word can be used figuratively to convey the character or atmosphere of something’s sound, such as the hääled of a festival or a speech. It may also appear in discussions of vocal technique and voice training, where it helps describe quality and expressiveness of vocal production.

A note on usage: in Estonian, hääled should not be confused with kaja, which means echo. The term remains a standard part of the language for discussing voices, tones, and the overall sonic character of performances and speech.