The claim that Eskimos have about a trillion words for snow may be a false one -- actually, Eskimo languages have about as many synonyms for snow as English does -- but it remains true that the language of a culture can be fascinating and illustrative. It makes sense that Italians, whose meals typically last longer than American's, would have a word for the ring of condensation that appears around a glass that's been sitting on a table.
The following foreign words aren't impossible to translate, they just describe phenomena that would take a sentence or two to describe in English. Some, like the Japanese koi no yokan, a more pragmatic version of love at first sight, are certainly worth adopting.
Here are 23 words with no direct English translations:
Schadenfreude
Language: German
Meaning: A feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people
Lagom
Language: Swedish
Meaning: Associated with moderation, the word means not too much, not too little, but just the right amount. It typically refers to the etiquette of taking your share.
Mencomot
Language: Indonesian
Meaning: Stealing things of small value, mostly for fun rather than out of necessity.
Hygge
Language: Danish
Meaning: The act of relaxing with loved ones and good friends, usually while enjoying food and drink; the word is associated with coziness.
Shouganai
Language: Japanese
Meaning: Connected to the idea of fate, this word means that something can't be helped, so why worry about it?
Fargin
Language: Yiddish
Meaning: To wholeheartedly appreciate the successes of others.
Saudade
Language: Portuguese
Meaning: Melancholic longing or nostalgia for a person, place or thing that is far away from you.
Komorebi
Language: Japanese
Meaning: The interplay between light and leaves when sunlight shines through trees.
Litost
Language: Czech
Meaning: A feeling that synthesizes grief, sympathy, remorse and longing.
Han
Language: Korean
Meaning: A collective feeling of oppression and isolation. As Los Angeles Times put it in 2011, "it's as amorphous a notion as love or hate: intensely personal, yet carried around collectively, a national torch, a badge of suffering tempered by a sense of resiliency."
Tampo
Language: Filipino
Meaning: Withdrawing affection from a person when one's feelings have been hurt.
Culaccino
Language: Italian
Meaning: The stain left on a table from a cold glass of water.
Pena ajena
Language: Spanish
Meaning: The feeling of being embarrassed for another person.
Waldeinsamkeit
Language: German
Meaning: The feeling experienced while alone in the woods, connecting with nature.
Psithurism
Language: Greek
Meaning: The sound of leaves rustling in the wind.
Koi No Yokan
Language: Japanese
Meaning: The feeling upon meeting someone that falling in love with him or her is inevitable.
Shemomedjamo
Language: Georgian
Meaning: This word describes when you continue to eat an entire meal in spite of feeling full.
Razbliuto
Language: Russian
Meaning: The feeling one has for someone he or she used to love, but no longer loves.
Forelsket
Language: Norwegian
Meaning: The specific feeling experienced while falling in love, rather than simply being in love.
Mangata
Language: Swedish
Meaning: The glimmering, road-like reflection that the moon creates on the water.
Aşermek
Language: Turkish
Meaning: A pregnant woman who is craving a specific thing to eat.
Madrugada
Language: Spanish
Meaning: The time of day occurring between late at night (i.e. past midnight) and early morning.
Pana po’o
Language: Hawaiian
Meaning: The act of scratching one's head in order to remember the location of a misplaced object.
The following foreign words aren't impossible to translate, they just describe phenomena that would take a sentence or two to describe in English. Some, like the Japanese koi no yokan, a more pragmatic version of love at first sight, are certainly worth adopting.
Here are 23 words with no direct English translations:
Schadenfreude
Language: German
Meaning: A feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people
Lagom
Language: Swedish
Meaning: Associated with moderation, the word means not too much, not too little, but just the right amount. It typically refers to the etiquette of taking your share.
Mencomot
Language: Indonesian
Meaning: Stealing things of small value, mostly for fun rather than out of necessity.
Hygge
Language: Danish
Meaning: The act of relaxing with loved ones and good friends, usually while enjoying food and drink; the word is associated with coziness.
Shouganai
Language: Japanese
Meaning: Connected to the idea of fate, this word means that something can't be helped, so why worry about it?
Fargin
Language: Yiddish
Meaning: To wholeheartedly appreciate the successes of others.
Saudade
Language: Portuguese
Meaning: Melancholic longing or nostalgia for a person, place or thing that is far away from you.
Komorebi
Language: Japanese
Meaning: The interplay between light and leaves when sunlight shines through trees.
Litost
Language: Czech
Meaning: A feeling that synthesizes grief, sympathy, remorse and longing.
Han
Language: Korean
Meaning: A collective feeling of oppression and isolation. As Los Angeles Times put it in 2011, "it's as amorphous a notion as love or hate: intensely personal, yet carried around collectively, a national torch, a badge of suffering tempered by a sense of resiliency."
Tampo
Language: Filipino
Meaning: Withdrawing affection from a person when one's feelings have been hurt.
Culaccino
Language: Italian
Meaning: The stain left on a table from a cold glass of water.
Pena ajena
Language: Spanish
Meaning: The feeling of being embarrassed for another person.
Waldeinsamkeit
Language: German
Meaning: The feeling experienced while alone in the woods, connecting with nature.
Psithurism
Language: Greek
Meaning: The sound of leaves rustling in the wind.
Koi No Yokan
Language: Japanese
Meaning: The feeling upon meeting someone that falling in love with him or her is inevitable.
Shemomedjamo
Language: Georgian
Meaning: This word describes when you continue to eat an entire meal in spite of feeling full.
Razbliuto
Language: Russian
Meaning: The feeling one has for someone he or she used to love, but no longer loves.
Forelsket
Language: Norwegian
Meaning: The specific feeling experienced while falling in love, rather than simply being in love.
Mangata
Language: Swedish
Meaning: The glimmering, road-like reflection that the moon creates on the water.
Aşermek
Language: Turkish
Meaning: A pregnant woman who is craving a specific thing to eat.
Madrugada
Language: Spanish
Meaning: The time of day occurring between late at night (i.e. past midnight) and early morning.
Pana po’o
Language: Hawaiian
Meaning: The act of scratching one's head in order to remember the location of a misplaced object.
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