õhtusöögi

Õhtusöök is the Estonian word for the evening meal, commonly translated as dinner or supper. The genitive form õhtusöögi is used when referring to something related to the dinner, for example õhtusöögi aeg (the time of the dinner) or õhtusöögi menüü (the dinner menu). The word is formed from õhtu, meaning evening, and söök, meaning food or meal.

In contemporary Estonia, õhtusöök denotes the meal eaten in the evening. The timing typically ranges from around 17:00 to 20:00, though schedules vary widely. For many households, lunch (lõunasöök) is the main daily meal, while õhtusöök can be lighter during weekdays and more substantial on weekends or special occasions. Food traditions during õhtusöök range from simple, home-cooked dishes to more elaborate meals when dining out or hosting guests.

Cultural practices around õhtusöök often emphasize family time, conversation, and routine. The meal may be followed by dessert or tea, and it can be part of everyday life as well as celebrations. In urban settings, people frequently combine work and dining out, using the term to describe both home meals and restaurant offerings labeled as dinner.

See also: hommikusöök (breakfast), lõunasöök (lunch), and related Estonian meal terms. The concept of õhtusöök corresponds to the general idea of the evening meal in many European cultures.