Untranslatable Words
Collecting words across languages that don't directly translate to English or French
Items in this hypelist
Arabic
Ya’aburnee
Literally “you bury me” — a declaration of wanting to die before someone you love, because you can't bear to live without them.
Gurfa
The amount of water that can be scooped up in two hands. It carries implications of survival, generosity, and restraint.
Tarab
Musical ecstasy; being emotionally carried away by song; self-transendence through art.
Danish
Hygge
A cozy, contented state of well-being through simple pleasures, especially shared with loved ones.
Filipino
Gigil
The overwhelming urge to pinch or squeeze something (or someone) that is irresistibly cute.
Kilig
The fluttery, giddy feeling you get when something romantic or cute happens
German
Kummerspeck
“Grief bacon” -- weight gained from emotional eating
Fremdschämen
Feeling embarrassed on behalf of someone else, even if they don’t realize they should be.
Waldeinsamkeit
The feeling of being alone in the woods, both peaceful and eerie.
Gemütlichkeit
The state of coziness, opposite of stress, feeling of warmth, friendliness, and belonging, often associated with communal settings.
Inuit / Inuktitut
Ayurnamat
A philosophical concept: there's no use worrying about things you can’t change.
Iktsuarpok
The feeling of anticipation that makes you keep going outside to check if someone is coming.
Spanish
Estrenar
Refers to the fact of wearing/using/showing off something for the first time
Duende
The mysterious power of art to deeply move a person
Sobremesa
The time spent lingering at the table, chatting and connecting after a meal.
Japanese
Natsukashii
A nostalgic joy from a memory, not sadness.
Bakku-shan
A girl who looks attractive from behind, but not from the front.
Arigata-meiwaku
Doing something unasked “for someone’s benefit” that ends up causing trouble.
Zanshin
A state of relaxed alertness, being fully aware of your surroundings while calm and focused.
Nakama
Friends so close they feel like chosen family
Tsundoku
The habit of acquiring books and letting them pile up, unread.
Wabi-sabi
The beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness.
Komorebi
The interplay of sunlight through the leaves of trees.
Pascuense, Easter Island
Tingo
The act of borrowing things from a friend’s house one by one until there’s nothing left
Swedish
Lagom
Not too much, not too little -- just the right amount. A cultural ideal of balance and sufficiency.
Gökotta
To wake up early in the morning to go outside and listen to the birds sing.
Nguni Bantu, Southern Africa
Mbuki-mvuki
The act of discarding clothes to dance freely.
Ubuntu
“I am because we are” -- a philosophy emphasizing human interconnectedness and shared humanity
Indonesian
Mencolek
To tap someone on the opposite shoulder to trick them.
Jayus
A joke so poorly told or so unfunny that it becomes funny.
Dutch
Gezelligheid
The feeling of warmth and friendliness that comes from spending time with loved ones. It’s a feeling of contentment and satisfaction that is often associated with cozy gatherings and good food.
Yagán (considered extinct)
Mamihlapinatapei
The wordless communication between two people who share a moment of mutual understanding or agreement, desire to start but reluctant to do so
Brazilian Portuguese
Cafuné
The tender act of running your fingers gently through someone’s hair
Jeitinho
The ability to navigate or bend rules through cleverness, personal connections, or charm, often a survival mechanism in bureaucratic systems.
Buli – Ghana
Pelinti
To move hot food around in your mouth because it’s burning but you don’t want to spit it out.
Czech
Lítost
A state of tormented, soul-deep grief sparked by sudden awareness of one’s own misery or inferiority.
Prozvonit
To call someone's phone and let it ring once so they call you back (and you don’t pay).
European Portuguese
Desenrascanço
The ability to “disentangle” yourself from a tough situation without a clear plan -- improvisational problem-solving.
Bulgarian
Ailyak
The art of doing everything slowly, with no rush, in a relaxed and carefree manner, savoring life
Finnish
Kalsarikännit
Getting drunk at home alone in your underwear, with no intention of going out.
Sielunmaisema
“Soul landscape” -- a place (real or imagined) that deeply resonates with your inner self.
Scottish
Tartle
The hesitation or moment of panic when you’re introducing someone and forget their name.
Korean
Han
A deep, collective feeling of sorrow, injustice, and resilience -- ancestral and unresolved grief passed through generations.
Nunchi
The subtle art of reading the room, picking up on mood, unspoken cues, and social nuance.
Huli, Papua New Guinea
Kauna
A type of love reserved for those who have gone away, especially in mourning.
Hawaiian
Pana Po'o
Scratching your head to help remember something you’ve forgotten.
Ticuna – Amazon, Brazil/Colombia/Peru
Kétsékó
The quiet communication between forest animals and humans; a recognition of presence without intrusion.
Inupiat – Alaska
Qarrtsiluni*
Waiting together in the quiet for something to burst, like the moment before a whale surfaces or truth emerges.
Scottish Gaelic
Còsagach
A sense of snugness, warmth, and shelter, similar to hygge but rooted in the rugged Highlands.
Italian
Cavoli riscaldati
Reheated cabbage; trying to revive a failed relationship.
Georgian
Zeg
That one thing you forgot the word for, but everyone knows what you mean.
Shemomedjamo
To continue eating despite being full because the food is so good
Kivila – Papua New Guinea
Mokita
The truth that everyone knows but no one talks about.
Rukwangali – Namibia
Hanyauku
Walking on tiptoes across hot sand.
Russian
Razbliuto
The tender feeling toward someone you once loved.
English
Logomachy
A dispute over or about words
