lõbus

Lõbus is an Estonian adjective meaning amusing, entertaining, or cheerful. It describes things, events, or people that evoke amusement or a lighthearted, joyful mood. The term emphasizes pleasantness and merriment rather than being strictly comedic.

Usage in Estonian is flexible: it can modify nouns as in lõbus inimene (a jovial person), lõbus üritus (a fun event), or lõbus film (an entertaining film). It can also describe atmosphere or mood, for example, lõbus õhkkond (a merry atmosphere). The phrase see on tõeliselt lõbus translates to “this is really fun/entertaining.” Comparative and superlative forms are lõbusam and lõbusaim.

Etymology traces lõbus to the noun lõbu, meaning amusement or pleasure. The suffix -bus forms the adjective. It is a native Estonian word, with related roots in Finnic languages, but not directly cognate with the English word “funny.”

Usage notes: lõbus contrasts with naljakas, which more specifically means “funny” or laugh-inducing. Lõbus conveys a broader sense of enjoyment or lightheartedness, suitable for describing atmospheres, people, events, and activities that are pleasant and entertaining. In written style, lõbus is often preferred for describing feel-good or family-friendly content, while naljakas may be reserved for explicitly humorous effects.

See also: naljakas, meelelahutus, meeleolukas.