Certain words from other languages cannot be translated directly into English. While some of them are poetic or funny, others are simply interesting. But many of them have one thing in common: They reveal a lot about the cultures behind them.
Sometimes the selection is astonishingly massive. Many terms from other languages can be translated into German in different ways. That’s why it takes excellent language proficiency to know the best term that fits the context.
But sometimes it’s the exact opposite. Some words simply do not have an exact equivalent in German. In these cases, the only thing you can do is paraphrase them.
Mamihlapinatapai? Love makes the world go round
Love has shaped every conceivable art form for centuries. And it has also left a deep mark on all the languages of the world. The poetry contained in some of these terms could make English speakers quite envious.
- Iktsuarpok (Inuit) – The anxious anticipation of someone’s arrival that makes you keep looking out the window
- Kilig (Tagalog, Philippines) – The exhilarating feeling of a romantic moment
- Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan, Patagonia) – The look between two people, each wishing that the other will initiate something that they both desire but neither wants to start
- Onsra (Boro, India) – A bittersweet feeling of knowing that love is ending or is not meant to last forever
- Forelsket (Norwegian) – The euphoric, head-over-heels feeling of falling in love
- Tuqburni (Arabic) – A profound love so deep that one cannot imagine living without the other person, wishing to die before them to avoid the pain of their absence (term of endearment that literally means: “You bury me”)
- Oodal (Tamil) – The feigned sulking after a minor argument, designed to elicit a desire for attention and to bring the couple closer after the “quarrel” is resolved.
Many different ways to admire nature
Nature is like poetry in motion. Some terms related to nature are untranslatable because people experience their environment differently, while other terms depict a particular view of nature that also describes the respective culture.
- gökotta (Swedish) – getting up early to hear the birds singing, especially the cuckoo
- Komorebi (Japanese) – sunlight shining through foliage
- Mångata (Swedish), Yakamoz (Turkish) – the reflection of moonlight on water
- uitwaaien (Dutch) – Going outside to enjoy the wind and clear your mind
- Psithurism (English) – The rustling or whispering sound of leaves in the wind
- Gluggaveður (Icelandic) – Weather that looks beautiful through a window, but is actually unpleasant
- Kaamos (Finnish) – The darkness of the polar night
- hanyauku (Rukwangali, Namibia) – Walking on tiptoes through hot sand to avoid burning your feet
No German word for eating and drinking
Many terms relate to eating and drinking. Some are predictable, while others are quite original.
- Utepils (Norwegian) – A beer outdoors on a beautiful day.
- Sobremesa (Spanish) – The time after a meal when you relax and enjoy the company of others
- shemomedjamo (Georgian) – Continuing to eat past the point of being full because the food is so delicious
- Tretar (Swedish) – The third cup of coffee in a row
- pelinti (Buli, Ghana) – Moving hot food around in your mouth until it has cooled down
- Culaccino (Italian) – The ring stain left by a glass on the table
- Pålegg (Norwegian) – Any ingredient that can be put on a sandwich
Having said that, some words should be viewed with skepticism. “Kalsarikännit” (Finnish), for example, is supposed to describe the leisure activity of getting drunk at home alone in your underwear. However, this sounds more like a made-up word or a joke than a naturally occurring term.
Feelings and actions: More untranslatable words
It is mind-boggling that certain terms do not have an equivalent word in the German vocabulary. But there are also untranslatable words that refer to a culturally induced view of people as well as their thoughts and activities.
- Pochemuchka (Russian) – A person who asks (too) many questions
- Tsundoku (Japanese) – A constantly growing pile of unread books
- Lagom (Swedish) – Just the right amount
- Załatwić (Polish) – Finding a creative solution that may bypass official channels
- Desenrascanço (Portuguese), Jugaad (Hindi) – Creative solution in a difficult situation
- Toska (Russian) – A mixture of melancholy and longing that has no specific cause
- meriggiare (Italian) – Resting in the shade at midday
- Boketto (Japanese) – The art of staring into the distance without thinking about anything in particular
- to jaywalk (English) – Crossing a street illegally
- Ageotori (Japanese) – The feeling of looking worse after a visit to the hairdresser than before
- Tartle (Scottish) – Hesitating to introduce someone whose name you have forgotten
- Sprezzatura (Italian) – The art of making something look easy that actually takes a lot of effort
Wanderlust and schadenfreude: Untranslatable German words
The German language presents translators in other cultures with similar problems. German also has terms that cannot be directly translated into other languages or that have become part of the respective vocabulary as loan words.
Everyone can judge for themselves how they feel about the image of German culture. But it’s worth pointing out that, besides Fernweh, Schadenfreude, and Weltschmerz, we also exported Fingerspitzengefühl, a loan word that can be used to describe intuitive insight, tact and diplomacy, physical dexterity, and strategic acumen.
