OK, I'll try to explain them using some examples. I hope this will help.
tulema /
tulla -
to come:
- to move towards the speaker, or to a place where the speaker was or will be at the time of arrival: Tule siia! (come here!), Sa tulid siia (you came here), Kas sa tuled sinna? (Will you come there? (to the place where I will be when you arrive)), etc...
- to move towards the one the speaker is talking to: Ma tulen sinu juurde (I'll come (am coming) to you / to your place), Ma tulin sulle külla (I came to (visit) you (to your place)), etc...
- to move away from some place where the speaker was (or the one the speaker is talking to was) and now the speaker has arrived to the current location (or is moving towards the one (s)he is talking to or to a place where the one will be): Ma tulin kodust (I came from home), Ma tulin kodust ära (I left home (and now I'm here)), Ma tulen töölt (I am coming from work), Kust sa tuled? (Where are you coming from?), etc...
minema /
minna: ma lähen, ma läksin, ... -
to go:
- to move towards some place: ma läksin koju (I went home), Kuhu sa lähed? (where are you going? / where will you go?), etc...
- to leave a place (and the destination is not important) = lahkuma: ma läksin ära = ma lahkusin (I went away, I left), ma lähen ära = ma lahkun (I will go away / I am going away, I will leave / I am leaving), etc...
sõitma /
sõita:
- minema: sõidan koju (I am going home, by using somekind of vehicle)
- tulema: sõidan sulle külla (I am coming to you / your place / to visit you, by using somekind of vehicle)
- just to ride or cruise around: sõidan autoga, sõidan (jalg)rattaga (I am riding a bike), ma sõidan (I am in/on a moving vehicle / in the middle of my journey, during which I use a vehicle(s))
käima /
käia:
- This includes going to a place and then coming back or going to a place and then leaving the place, so I guess to visit is good enough translation: käisin välismaal (I went abroad, but now I'm back), käisin vannis (I took a bath, but now I'm out), ma käin ruttu kodus ära (I'll go home and then quickly come back)
- To visit some place regularly: käin koolis (I attend school, I am visiting school regularly), ma käin tööl (~ I'm working, I am visiting my workplace regularly)
- = kõndima (to walk, to move on foot)
Some other words:
lähenema,
liginema -
to approachkaugenema,
eemalduma -
to move away (opposite of approaching);
taanduma,
taganema -
retreat,
back away,
fall backFollowing words can be used the same way as
sõitma:
kõndima (
to walk),
jooksma (
to run),
lendama (
to fly),
ujuma (
to swim), etc...
jõudma -
to get somewhere, to reach some place:
koju jõudma (to get home, to reach home); also
töölt koju jõudma (to get home from work, to reach home from work)lahkuma = ära minema (/ ära tulema) -
to leave,
to depart (from some place)
saabuma = kohale jõudma, pärale jõudma -
to arrive