The world’s most fascinating untranslatable words
Every language has its own unique words, untranslatable into other languages without a lengthy explanation. These words often reveal deep cultural concepts and different ways of seeing the world. Let’s discover some of the most fascinating!
- “Dépaysement” (🇫🇷 French) – The feeling of being elsewhere
This word expresses the sensation of being out of one’s usual surroundings, of discovering a totally new environment. It doesn’t translate literally into English, where we would use words like “feeling out of place”.
- “Wabi-sabi (🇯🇵 Japanese) – The beauty of imperfection
A philosophical concept that celebrates simplicity, imperfection and transience. It is often used in art and decoration to designate a minimalist, natural aesthetic.
- “Saudade” (🇵🇹 Portuguese) – A deep nostalgia
The word evokes a gentle melancholy, a mixture of sadness and happiness when we think of something or someone we’ve lost or may never see again.
- “Hygge (🇩🇰 Danish) – Warm comfort
A word that describes an atmosphere of well-being, conviviality and warmth, like a moment spent under a plaid with a hot chocolate in winter.
- “Torschlusspanik (🇩🇪 German) – The fear of missing an opportunity
Literally “door-closing panic”, this word describes the anxiety felt when we’re afraid of missing out on important experiences as we age.
- “Gigil” (🇵🇭 Filipino) – An irrepressible urge to pinch or squeeze something cute
If you’ve ever felt the urge to pinch a baby’s cheeks or pet a cute puppy, then you’ve experienced the gigil.
- “Komorebi” (🇯🇵 Japanese) – Sunlight filtering through tree leaves
A poetic word that captures a magical moment in nature.
- “Mångata (🇸🇪 Swedish) – The reflection of the moon on the water
A magnificent visual term that evokes the luminous trail left by the moon on the sea or a lake.
- “Cafuné” (🇧🇷 Brazilian Portuguese) – Gently running your hand through someone’s hair
A tender, intimate gesture that doesn’t translate into a single word in French or English.
- “Pochemuchka” (🇷🇺 Russian) – A person who asks too many questions
A funny word for someone who’s very curious, sometimes a little too curious!
Conclusion
These unique words show us how each language reflects a different culture and worldview. They also remind us that learning a language is much more than memorizing vocabulary – it’s about discovering a way of thinking! And that’s exactly the spirit in which CLL’s trainers are going to orient their courses!
What about you, do you know any other “untranslatable” words? 🤔🌍