Does Not Translate - Words That Don't Translate

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Ilunga·(described as one of the world's most difficult word's to translate) A person who is willing to forgive abuse the first time; tolerate it the second time, but never a third time.

Bantu

Congenial·Pleasing or liked on account of having qualities or interests that are similar to one's own.

English

قهقهة·ḲahḲahaThe weird sound that sounds like you're coughing while laughing.

Arabic

Hibakusha·A term used to refer to those who survived the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; literally translates as explosion-affected people.

Japanese

Tinfed·In reference to a path / road / accessible area; to be able to lead to, open up to or otherwise give access to another known path (even if you can't presently see the junction). Without a reference to a second path, it simply means that the path is not a dead-end.

Maltese

Hoşbulmak·Well-found.

Turkish

Topper·One who gets the highest marks in a test/exam.

Mycket snack och lite verkstad (lit. much talk and little workshop)·Too much time spent talking (e.g. in meetings) and not enough on getting work done.

Swedish

Slippa (v.)·To not have to do something.

Swedish

Blunda·To have your eyes closed, as a state.

Swedish

“Trucho/a”·An umbrella definition for anything that is either tacky, phony, fake, counterfeit or bootleg.

Argentine Spanish

Luimistaa·To put back one's ears.

Finnish

Satla Haravot·סטלה חרבות - literally translates to Swords high.

Hebrew

Solkatt (lit. sun cat)·The spot of light from sunlight reflecting off a shiny surface, like a watch.

Swedish

जूठा खाने से प्यार बढ़ता है (jūṭhā khāne se pyār baṛhtā hai)·Your love [for someone] increases when you eat [someone's] tainted food.

Hindi

Jag mötte Lassie·A story about a random encounter with a celebrity.

Swedish

Basst scho·Very unenthusiastic expression of (dis-)approval that can may very well mean the opposite.

German/Bavarian

encebollado·Cooked with onions.

Spanish

仲間 (nakama)·A friend who is your colleague, partner, teammate, or comrade.

Japanese

Zwaartekracht·The word for gravity that literally translates as heaviness power.

Dutch

Siri’·The attitude of someone's self-dignity within society that arouses the feeling of shame if violated.

Makassarese & Bugis

E ‘sti cazzi·Used to say I don't care or to express surprise. Literally and these dicks.

Italian

Väkevä·Something that has a strong taste.

Finnish

Štrebati·To study/learn a text word for word and then forget what you learned after the knowledge is not needed anymore.

Croatian

Tåfis (lit. Toefart)·The smell of sweaty feet.

Norwegian

czytadło·A book that is easy to read, doesn't hold a much value, though isn't bad per se. It's good enough to pass the time, but is forgetable.

Polish

Itsemurhayksiö (lit. suicide one-room residence)·A small and depressing apartment.

Finnish

paper street, paper town·A street or town that exists on a map but not in reality.

English

Lügenbaron·A notorious skilled liar or swindler.

German

Voetjies-hang·A toddler's eagerness to ride in a car.

Afrikaans