Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Multi-Lingual People Explain Which Words From Their Native Language Don't Translate Into English

Multi-Lingual People Explain Which Words From Their Native Language Don't Translate Into English
Wikimedia Commons

Language is a beautiful, fascinating, and most tricky thing.

And each language has its quirks, often finding ways to express feelings and events in ways that other languages cannot.

After Redditor oskskioskski asked the online community, "What are some words that only exist in your language but does not exist in English?" many people from around the world decided to show us a thing or two.


"It has no direct translation..."

The word "kilig" in Filipino. It has no direct translation in the English language but the closest is "the feeling of getting butterflies in your stomach."

phauuyap

"...is the Japanese word for..."

Giphy

Tsundoku is the Japanese word for books you have bought but have just let pile up unread.

ReignofWinter

"The word..."

The word 'hiraeth' in Welsh.

Hiraeth is hard to translate, but it means a deep kind of homesickness or longing.

limegreenbunny

"It means..."

Kalsarikännit in Finnish. It means when you're drinking alcohol at your home wearing only underwear with no intention to go anywhere.

mikkomikomikko

"A feeling of pleasure..."

Schadenfreude - from google: A feeling of pleasure or satisfaction when something bad happens to someone else.

Fremdscham: Embarrassment you feel through the cringy or humilating actions of someone else.

overbread

"It can mean anything..."

The word "lekker" in Afrikaans.

It can mean anything from pleasant to tasty to good to pleasurable. It can be used in relation to food, feelings, interjectory, as a pronoun or adjective.

There is no specific translation for "lekker", so you would need to choose a different word for it in English every time, depending on context.

ThePatrician007

"It's a feeling in your throat..."

"Empalagoso" in Spanish. It's a feeling in your throat when you eat too much sweet creamy stuff. It can also mean when someone is excessively sweet towards you.

Giger-lago

"It's a Dutch word..."

'Gezelligheid,' it's a Dutch word which indicates that you and the people you are with are having a good time.

bschoone

"The German word..."

The German word "Backpfeifengesicht" is more or less translated as "A face in desperate need of a slap."

maleorderbride

"In Portuguese..."

In Portuguese there are two translations for "to be".

One is "ser" which is to be in a more permanent way, usually used to refer to your nationality, a job, or a personal trait, e.g. "Eu sou brasileiro" ("I am Brazilian"), "Ela é uma médica" ("She is a doctor"), or "Ele é um cara legal" ("He is a nice guy").

The other one is "estar", which is to be temporarily, usually used to refer to emotions, current location, or an action (present continuous), e.g. "Eu estou nervoso" ("I am nervous"), "Ela está na estação de trem" ("She is at the train station"), or "Ele está dormindo" ("He is sleeping").

The same applies for Spanish, with the same verbs too.

radioactivecafe

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Mariah Carey as Morticia Addams; Carey in red Santa outfit
@mariahcarey/Instagram

Mariah Carey Channels Morticia Addams In Video Declaring 'It's Time' For The Holiday Season

Pop diva Mariah Carey wasted no time heralding in the winter festivities on November 1 with a fun video partnering with Kay Jewelers Instagram.

For the promo clip's opening black-and-white sequence, the "It's a Wrap" singer channeled Morticia Addams from The Addams Family in a long black dress, a cascading black wig, and a diamond necklace courtesy of Kay Jewelers.

Keep ReadingShow less
A man yelling into a phone
man holding telephone screaming
Photo by Icons8 Team on Unsplash

People Reveal The Dumbest Reasons Why Someone Got Mad At Them

Patience is a virtue.

A virtue that, sadly, far too few people are blessed with.

Keep ReadingShow less
RFK Jr., Donald Trump, Kamala Harris
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images; Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Harris Had The Perfect Response After Trump Said RFK Jr. Will Be 'In Charge Of Women's Health'

Vice President Kamala Harris had the perfect short and sweet response to former President Donald Trump's announcement that he would put RFK Jr. in charge of "women's health" if reelected.

Speaking at a rally in Nevada in the final days leading up to the election, Trump said:

Keep ReadingShow less
lake through window during rain
Tommy Bond on Unsplash

People Describe The Most Depressing Travel Destinations They Ever Visited

Sometimes, when we travel, we go somewhere with a lot of hype and are disappointed. Other times, we're going to a place of historic significance with a past of tragedy and trauma.

Sometimes, our travels are work or humanitarian aid-related.

Keep ReadingShow less
JD Vance
Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube

JD Vance Slammed For Bizarre Rant About Kids Turning Trans To Get Into College

Things really aren't going very well for the Trump-Vance campaign, and JD Vance seems to think he knows exactly how to solve it—saying more weird stuff about trans people!

During Vance's recent appearance on Joe Rogan's podcast, Vance introduced what seems to be the newest right-wing conspiracy theory about transgender people: that they're faking it.

Keep ReadingShow less