As for the meaning of this word, I have looked in vain in other languages for an equivalent, though I find it difficult to imagine how anyone can understand the human soul without it.
Catalog
Quotes tagged ‘Untranslatable Words’
No single word in English renders all the shades of toska. At its deepest and most painful, it is a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without any specific cause. At less morbid levels it is a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for, a sick pining, a vague restlessness, me…
Duende: The mysterious power that a work of art has to deeply move a person.
Commuovere: To be moved in a heartwarming way, usually relating to a story that moved you to tears.
Hygge: Feeling peace and happiness.
Lagom: Not too much, not too little, but perfect.
Utepils: To sit outside on a sunny day, enjoying a beer.
Aware: The bittersweetness of a brief and fading moment of transcending beauty.
Gökotta: To wake up early in the morning with the purpose of going outside to hear the first birds sing.
Sobremesa: After-lunch conversation around the table
Cafuné: The act of tenderly running one’s fingers through someone’s hair.
Toska: A sensation of great spiritual anguish, often without a specific cause; a longing with nothing to long for.
Hanyauku: The act of walking on tiptoes across warm sand.
Mamihlapinatapei: The wordless, meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to do so.
Waldeinsamkeit: The feeling of solitude, being alone in the woods, and a connectedness to nature.
Hiraeth: A particular type of longing for the homeland or the romanticized past.
Kilig: The feeling of butterflies in your stomach, usually when something romantic takes place.
Saudade: The feeling of longing for something or someone that you love and which is lost.
Fika: Gathering together to talk and take a break from everyday routines; either at a cafe or at home, often for hours on end.
Wabi-Sabi: Finding beauty in imperfections.