Does Not Translate - Words That Don't Translate

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Sehnsucht·The inconsolable longing in the human heart for we know not what.

German

Mamihlapinatapai·Two people looking at each other, each wishing that the other will begin an action that they both desire but are unwilling to suggest or begin themselves.

Yaghan

Maskrosbarn·Dandelion child, someone who has a tough childhood and still turns out alright, like a dandelion breaking through asphalt.

Swedish

Hiraeth·A homesickness for a home you cannot return to, or that never was.

Welsh

Kurwidołek·A toxic place comfortable enough to stay, but not bad enough to leave.

Polish

Tsundoku·The act of leaving a book unread after buying it, typically piled up together with other such unread books.

Japanese

Kalsarikännit·To get drunk home alone in your underpants, with no intention of leaving the house.

Finnish

Mellanförskap·The middle ground between being included or excluded in a culture.

Swedish

Gråtrunka·Crying and masturbating at the same time.

Swedish

Clusterfuck·A disastrously mishandled situation or undertaking.

English

Brio·The pride that comes from doing the right thing.

Portuguese

Lebenslüge·Life lie A lie you tell yourself to make your life bearable.

German

Jubjoter·To wake up from a dream without knowing the end of it and trying to go back to it to know the end.

French

Bulemielernen·Bulimic studying.

German

Heimscheisser·Someone who can only do number 2 at home.

German

Vorführeffekt·When you want to show somebody something you can do but it goes wrong because they're watching you.

German

Eṣṭaneya·An interrogative word which is used to ask “Which ordinal number in a series?”, where the answer would be an ordinal number like “First” / “Second” / Third / “Hundredth” / Thousandth. Literally it would be Which-th.

Kannada

wabi sabi·A world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.

Japanese

Saudade·A vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist.

Portuguese

Sisu·Extraordinary determination in the face of extreme adversity, and courage that is presented typically in situations where success is unlikely.

Finnish

Gyakugire·Getting mad at somebody because they got mad at you for something you did.

Japanese

Sankocha·The feeling of embarrassment due to receiving an inordinately and perhaps inappropriately large or extravagant gift or favor, that makes you feel obliged to return the favor when you can’t.

Kannada

報復性熬夜 (revenge bedtime procrastination)·A phenomenon in which people who don’t have much control over their daytime life refuse to sleep early in order to regain some sense of freedom during late night hours.

Chinese

Охаметь·To start behaving oneself as to resemble Ham, son of Noah. Means being rude or ignoring social norms.

Russian

تسليك·When someone speaks to you and you just act like you're so interested in what the person is saying even though it's plainly obvious that you aren't.

Arabic

Samar·Night conversations with friends or family.

Arabic

Tøsefornærmet·Literal translation: girly offended, when you get offended over something, and react in a way an immature teenage girl would.

Danish

Overdressed/Underdressed·Being too formally/informally dressed for an activity or event.

English

Okynnesäta·Eating after you're full, just because you can.

Swedish

Tachikurami·Temporary blindness from standing up too fast.

Japanese