põrgu

Põrgu is the Estonian word for hell, the realm of punishment after death in Christian eschatology as used in Estonian religious literature and translations of the Bible. The term functions as the translation of the Latin infernum or the Greek Gehenna depending on the source, representing the place where the wicked are condemned. Descriptions in Estonian texts range from traditional imagery of fire and darkness to more metaphorical or symbolic depictions, reflecting both religious doctrine and local language usage.

In Estonian folklore, the underworld is a distant, otherworldly realm distinct from the living world; while not standardized, põrgu is used to denote a subterranean place of punishment and is associated with figures of evil or demonic beings in later folk tradition. The concept has been shaped by centuries of Christian influence, folklore, and literature.

Today, põrgu commonly appears in literature, journalism, and everyday language as a metaphor for extreme hardship or moral failing. It is also used in titles, poetry, and popular culture to evoke experiences of torment, fear, or infernal imagery. The term remains the standard Estonian word for hell and for the mythic underworld in many contexts.

See also: Hell in Christianity; Underworld; Afterlife in Estonian culture.