Being from Germany I will include my favorite German words that do not exist in English:
Schadenfreude (damage-joy) - laughing at someone else’s misfortune.
This is definitely missing in the English language. Although a bit dark, watching others get hurt is funny if it isn’t anything serious.
Ohrwurm (Ear-worm) - having a song stuck in your head.
Why is there no word for this in English? This happens too often to us to always say “There is a song stuck in my head.”
Fremdschämen (Distance-shaming) - being ashamed for something someone else did.
A lot of TV shows use this concept to awaken shame in us for what we see on the screen. Have you ever felt this way?
Lebensmüde (Life-tired) - a description for someone who attempts something very stupid and life-threatening.
Again I am reminded how insulting we Germans can be… We call someone “Lebensmüde” when they are about to do something incredibly stupid, telling them basically: “Hey… you are about to attempt something so dumb you could kill yourself… I will stand here and watch. Hopefully it is not as stupid as it seems.”
Schnappsidee (Schnaps-idea) - an idea so stupid the person must have thought of it while drunk.
Another word describing the stupidity of others… This word can be used for any ideas that you do not agree with, but is basically insulting the other persons intelligence again.
Fingerspitzengefühl (Fingertip-feeling) - a way to describe when you need a lot of empathy to handle a very tense situation.
This can also be used when you need to concentrate on something very minute, small or detailed. Anything that requires a lot of concentration.
Kopfkino (Head-cinema) - playing a scene described visually in your head.
This usually happens with very sexual descriptions or places where you would call TMI (too much information). Then you laugh in “Schadenfreude” as the other person visually imagines the thing you just described to them.
Verschlimmbessern (Worsen-better-making) - what happens when you try to improve something and make it worse instead.
This is another potential invite to “Schadenfreude”.
Drachenfutter (Dragon-fodder) - a gift to your significant other as a form of apology.
Hüftgold (Hip-gold) - love-handles.
There are a couple more amazing ones that you can find here: 18 Weird German Words You Won't Believe Exist
1. Kummerspeck (German)
Excess weight gained from emotional overeating. Literally, grief bacon.
2. 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."
3. Tartle (Scots)
The nearly onomatopoeic word for that panicky hesitation just before you have to introduce someone whose name you can't quite remember.
4. 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.
5. Backpfeifengesicht (German)
A face badly in need of a fist.
6. 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.
7. 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.”
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Faamiti (Samoan)
To make a squeaking sound by sucking air past the lips in order to gain the attention of a dog or child.
11. Gigil (Filipino)
The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is irresistibly cute.
12. Yuputka (Ulwa)
A word made for walking in the woods at night, it’s the phantom sensation of something crawling on your skin.
13. Zhaghzhagh (Persian)
The chattering of teeth from the cold or from rage.
14. Vybafnout (Czech)
A word tailor-made for annoying older brothers—it means to jump out and say boo.
15. Fremdschämen (German); Myötähäpeä (Finnish)
The kindler, gentler cousins of Schadenfreude, both these words mean something akin to "vicarious embarrassment.”
16. 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.”
17. Pålegg (Norwegian)
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.
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. Bakku-shan (Japanese)
Or there's this Japanese slang term, which describes the experience of seeing a woman who appears pretty from behind but not from the front.
20. Seigneur-terraces (French)
Coffee shop dwellers who sit at tables a long time but spend little money.
21. Ya’arburnee (Arabic)
This word is the hopeful declaration that you will die before someone you love deeply, because you cannot stand to live without them. Literally, may you bury me.
22. 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.
23. Slampadato (Italian)
Addicted to the UV glow of tanning salons? This word describes you.
24. Zeg (Georgian)
It means “the day after tomorrow.” OK, we do have "overmorrow" in English, but when was the last time someone used that?
25. Cafune (Brazilian Portuguese)
Leave it to the Brazilians to come up with a word for “tenderly running your fingers through your lover’s hair.”
26. Koi No Yokan (Japanese)
The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall in love.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. L’esprit de l’escalier (French)
Literally, stairwell wit—a too-late retort thought of only after departure.
30. 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.
31. Packesel (German)
The packesel is the person who’s stuck carrying everyone else’s bags on a trip. Literally, a burro.
32. Hygge (Danish)
Denmark’s mantra, hygge is the pleasant, genial, and intimate feeling associated with sitting around a fire in the winter with close friends.
33. Cavoli Riscaldati (Italian)
The result of attempting to revive an unworkable relationship. Translates to "reheated cabbage."
34. Bilita Mpash (Bantu)
An amazing dream. Not just a "good" dream; the opposite of a nightmare.
35. Litost (Czech)
Milan Kundera described the emotion as “a state of torment created by the sudden sight of one’s own misery.”
36. Luftmensch (Yiddish)
There are several Yiddish words to describe social misfits. This one is for an impractical dreamer with no business sense.
37 & 38. Schlemiel and schlimazel (Yiddish)
Someone prone to bad luck. Yiddish distinguishes between the schlemiel and schlimazel, whose fates would probably be grouped under those of the klutz in other languages. The schlemiel is the traditional maladroit, who spills his coffee; the schlimazel is the one on whom it's spilled.
mittleshmerz is a German word for pain during ovulation
schadenfreude
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/S...
Yiddish:
Schlep
schlep
SHlep/
NORTH AMERICANinformal
verb
- 1.
Chutzpah
chutz·pah
ˈho͝otspə,ˈKHo͝otspə,-spä/
noun
informal
- shameless audacity; impudence.
synonyms:audacity, cheek, guts, nerve,boldness, temerity
"it took a lot of chutzpah for her to walk in on Owen's bachelor party"
The synonyms just don't capture the same connotation. This word almost has onamonapaeia
Spanish:
I was always fascinated by the idea of
Saber and conocer
Both mean to know: but Saber is to know as in knowledge, conocer is to know people. I find the distinction interesting
Japanese:
wabi sabi
Essentially the beauty that is found in imperfections
The language of hip hop / rap is so dynamic , but there is something about the wordplay in this art form that captures a concept in a way it's synonyms do not:
Word.
Hater.
Edit: I just learned this word from Finnish, which was used in article about the settlers of the northwest part of the Upper Peninsula, where my dad is from
Here are some concepts in Spanish that don’t exist in English.
Sobremesa – the time that you spend sitting around the table after a meal, not really eating but maybe sipping and talking.
Mandilón – a guy who is super dedicated to his girlfriend, more so than to his friends.
Estrenando – the very first time you wear something you are “estrenando”. This is why in the school yard other people stomp on your brand new shoes. That’s called “estrenón”. (Sigh.)
Pena ajena – when someone does something that makes you feel a sort of disembodied embarrassment. If I went to a social gathering with my mom she used to wrap up a slice of cake to take home to my brother. Que pena ajena!
Ni modo – the closest translation I can think of is “oh well”. It’s like throwing your arms up and saying “this is how things turned out and there’s nothing we can do about it”. In terms of attitude, it’s similar to someone asking you why you did something and you replying with “because”. It’s not hopeless. It has a certain dignity.
Empalagada – this is how you feel when you’ve had too much of something sweet. No more chocolate, please! After eating half the box I feel empalagada.
If a couple is smooching next to you and saying adoring things to each other after a while you are like, please, ugh, me estan empalagando.
A somewhat related concept is enchilada, which means you’ve had too much spicy food and you can’t eat anymore, pass the water. Or the milk. Or something with ice. Then pass the salsa and the chilitos toreados. Yes, again.
Chile toreado is when you take a spicy pepper and roll it in your hands before slicing it to make it spicier.
The distinction between amar and querer. Translation for both in English: “to love”. In English you use the same word for your feelings towards a lover, a brand of lip gloss and your mom.
If someone is your tocayo, they have the same name you have.
On a perhaps tangential note, Mexicans have a very complicated relationship to the word “mother”.
En la madre is like saying “holy shit!”; ni madres means “no way”, no tienes madre kind of means “you have no shame”, a toda madre means “totally awesome!” esto es una madre means “this is a piece of shit.”
Que poca madre! means “you bastard!” and I could go on, pero, vale madres, which means “it doesn’t matter”.
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