Bank machines or ATMs (automated teller machines) are either panga/automaat, sula/raha/automaat (cash dispenser) or makse/automaat (“payment” machine).
Although you won't find a pay phone in Eesti anymore, they're called telefoni/automaat. Pileti/automaat is a ticket machine, like those found in parking lots and müügi/automaat (“selling machine”) is any kind of vending machine. All automaats function automaatselt or automatically, the result of automation automaatika.
An answering machine is an automaat/vastaja (“answerer”) and if you drive a stick shift, you are driving an automaat/käigu/kast = automatic (“gear box”) transmission. The other automaat is automaatpüss (automatic rifle) or püstol/kuuli/pilduja (machine gun), literally “pistol bullet hurler”.
Riina Kindlam, Tallinn
