Wonderful Words with No English Equivalent
There are many words in different languages which have no equivalent in English language. Some of them are here.
1. Zhaghzhagh (Persian)
The chattering of teeth from the cold or from rage.
2. Yuputka (Ulwa)
A word made for walking in the woods at night, it’s the phantom sensation of something crawling on your skin.
3. Slampadato (Italian)
Addicted to the UV glow of tanning salons? This word describes you.
4. Luftmensch (Yiddish)
There are several Yiddish words to describe social misfits. This one is
for an impractical dreamer with no business sense. Literally, air
person.
5. Iktsuarpok (Inuit)
You know that feeling of anticipation when you’re waiting for someone to
show up at your house and you keep going outside to see if they’re
there yet? This is the word for it.
6. Cotisuelto (Caribbean Spanish)
A word that would aptly describe the prevailing fashion trend among
American men under 40, it means one who wears the shirt tail outside of
his trousers.
7. Pana Po’o (Hawaiian)
“Hmm, now where did I leave those keys?” he said, pana po’oing. It
means to scratch your head in order to help you remember something
you’ve forgotten.
8. Gumusservi (Turkish)
Meteorologists can be poets in Turkey with words like this at their disposal. It means moonlight shining on water.
9. Vybafnout (Czech)
A word tailor-made for annoying older brothers—it means to jump out and say boo.
10. Mencolek (Indonesian)
You know that old trick where you tap someone lightly on the opposite
shoulder from behind to fool them? The Indonesians have a word for it.
11. Faamiti (Samoan)
To make a squeaking sound by sucking air past the lips in order to gain the attention of a dog or child.
12. Glas wen (Welsh)
A smile that is insincere or mocking. Literally, a blue smile.
13. Bakku-shan (Japanese)
The experience of seeing a woman who appears pretty from behind but not from the front.
14. Boketto (Japanese)
It’s nice to know that the Japanese think enough of the act of gazing
vacantly into the distance without thinking to give it a name.
15. Kummerspeck (German)
Excess weight gained from emotional overeating. Literally, grief bacon.
16. Shemomedjamo (Georgian)
You know when you’re really full, but your meal is just so delicious,
you can’t stop eating it? The Georgians feel your pain. This word means,
“I accidentally ate the whole thing."
17. Pelinti (Buli, Ghana)
Your friend bites into a piece of piping hot pizza, then opens his mouth
and sort of tilts his head around while making an “aaaarrrahh” noise.
The Ghanaians have a word for that. More specifically, it means “to move
hot food around in your mouth.”
18. Layogenic (Tagalog)
Remember in Clueless when Cher describes someone as “a full-on
Monet…from far away, it’s OK, but up close it’s a big old mess”? That’s
exactly what this word means.
19. Rhwe (Tsonga, South Africa)
College kids, relax. There’s actually a word for “to sleep on the floor without a mat, while drunk and naked.”
20. Zeg (Georgian)
It means “the day after tomorrow.” Seriously, why don’t we have a word for that in English?
21. Pålegg (Norweigian)
Sandwich Artists unite! The Norwegians have a non-specific descriptor
for anything – ham, cheese, jam, Nutella, mustard, herring, pickles,
Doritos, you name it – you might consider putting into a sandwich.
22. Lagom (Swedish)
Maybe Goldilocks was Swedish? This slippery little word is hard to
define, but means something like, “Not too much, and not too little, but
juuuuust right.”
23. Tartle (Scots)
The nearly onomatopoeic word for that panicky hesitation just before you
have to introduce someone whose name you can't quite remember.
24. Koi No Yokan (Japanese)
The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall into love.
25. Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego)
This word captures that special look shared between two people, when
both are wishing that the other would do something that they both want,
but neither want to do.
26. Fremdschämen (German); Myötähäpeä (Finnish)
The kindler, gentler cousins of Schadenfreude, both these words mean
something akin to "vicarious embarrassment.” Or, in other words,
that-feeling-you-get-when-you-watch-Meet the Parents.
27. Cafune (Brazilian Portuguese)
Leave it to the Brazilians to come up with a word for “tenderly running your fingers through your lover’s hair.”
28. Greng-jai (Thai)
That feeling you get when you don't want someone to do something for you because it would be a pain for them.
29. Kaelling (Danish)
You know that woman who stands on her doorstep (or in line at the
supermarket, or at the park, or in a restaurant) cursing at her
children? The Danes know her, too.
