I have a theory that English is like a big, friendly junk drawer. We have words for everything from “shenanigans” to “thingamabob”… and yet we still don’t have a single, tidy term for that moment you walk into a room and instantly forget why you’re there. Other languages, meanwhile, stroll in calmly and say, “Oh, that? We already have a word for it.”

So here are 20 wonderfully specific, highly relatable, and maddeningly untranslatable words from around the world that English could borrow tomorrow and improve everyone’s group chats by lunch.

An open hardcover dictionary on a wooden table beside a notebook and a cup of coffee

First, what counts as “untranslatable”?

Most of these words can be translated, technically. It just takes a full sentence, a theatrical sigh, and possibly a hand gesture. “Untranslatable” really means: one compact word for a feeling or situation English describes clumsily.

Also, a quick honesty note: these lists are famous for being a little too neat. Meanings shift by context, culture, and dialect, and a few of the words below are better thought of as “popular glosses” than lab-tested, one-size-fits-all definitions. Still, they are painfully useful.

If you enjoy this kind of linguistic treasure hunt, you will probably also like our Trivia guide and the way language can go delightfully sideways in malapropisms.

20 untranslatable words to steal

Cozy and everyday life

  • 1) Hygge (Danish, approx. “HOO-guh”)
    Meaning: A cozy, contented feeling, often with simple comforts like warm light, soft blankets, and good company.
    Use it: “This rainy evening is peak hygge.”
  • 2) Lagom (Swedish, approx. “LAH-gom”)
    Meaning: Just the right amount. Not too much, not too little.
    Use it: “One cookie is lagom. Three is ambition.”
  • 3) Iktsuarpok (Inuit languages, commonly listed as Inuktitut)
    Meaning: The feeling that makes you keep checking outside to see if someone has arrived yet.
    Note: This one gets cited a lot online, and spelling and usage can vary by dialect and language. Consider this the popular shorthand for “anticipatory door-checking.”
    Use it: “I have full-on iktsuarpok waiting for the delivery.”
  • 4) Tretår (Swedish)
    Meaning: A third cup of coffee. Not a “refill” exactly. A life choice.
    Use it: “Don’t speak to me until tretår.”
  • 5) Fernweh (German, approx. “FEARN-vay”)
    Meaning: Longing to travel somewhere far away. Homesickness for a place you are not in.
    Use it: “My calendar says Tuesday. My heart says fernweh.”
  • 6) Schadenfreude (German, approx. “SHAH-den-froy-duh”)
    Meaning: Pleasure at someone else’s misfortune, especially when it is mild and karmic.
    Use it: “When the guy who cut in line dropped his keys, I felt a tiny spark of schadenfreude.”
  • 7) Kummerspeck (German, approx. “KOO-mer-shpek”)
    Meaning: “Grief bacon.” Weight gained from emotional overeating.
    Use it: “After that breakup, my kummerspeck showed up right on schedule.”
  • 8) Meraki (Greek)
    Meaning: Often used (especially online) to mean doing something with soul, creativity, and love, leaving a bit of yourself in the work.
    Use it: “She cooks with meraki, which is why her toast tastes like a hug.”
  • 9) Tsundoku (Japanese)
    Meaning: Buying books and letting them pile up unread. A hobby. A lifestyle. A cry for shelf space.
    Use it: “My nightstand isn’t messy. It’s tsundoku.”

Nature and tiny beauty

  • 10) Komorebi (Japanese)
    Meaning: Sunlight filtering through leaves.
    Use it: “Look at that komorebi. Even the trees are showing off.”
  • 11) Wabi-sabi (Japanese)
    Meaning: Finding beauty in imperfection, age, and the pleasantly worn.
    Use it: “The chipped mug has wabi-sabi. Also sentimental value. Also coffee.”
  • 12) Gökotta (Swedish, approx. “YUH-kot-tah”)
    Meaning: Waking up early to hear birds sing.
    Use it: “I attempted gökotta. My pillow attempted revenge.”
  • 13) Mångata (Swedish)
    Meaning: The shimmering road-like reflection the moon makes on water.
    Use it: “The lake had a perfect mångata tonight. My camera did not.”

Social moments and feelings

  • 14) Sobremesa (Spanish, approx. “soh-breh-MEH-sah”)
    Meaning: The time after a meal spent talking, lingering, and enjoying company.
    Use it: “Dessert was great, but the sobremesa was the best part.”
  • 15) Estrenar (Spanish, approx. “es-treh-NAR”)
    Meaning: To wear or use something for the first time.
    Use it: “I’m going to estrenar these shoes and immediately regret it by hour two.”
  • 16) Sisu (Finnish, approx. “SEE-soo”)
    Meaning: Grit, stoic determination, and stubborn bravery when you are already out of energy.
    Use it: “That last mile was pure sisu and questionable decisions.”
  • 17) Pochemuchka (Russian, approx. “pah-cheh-MOOCH-kah”)
    Meaning: A person, often a child, who asks “Why?” constantly.
    Use it: “My nephew is a delightful pochemuchka. I have run out of answers.”
  • 18) Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan)
    Meaning: A look shared by two people who both want the same thing, but neither wants to make the first move.
    Use it: “There was serious mamihlapinatapai over who would take the last slice.”
  • 19) Tartle (Scots, approx. “TAR-tul”)
    Meaning: That panicked hesitation when introducing someone because you suddenly forgot their name.
    Use it: “I did a full tartle at the office party. Sorry, Kevin, or possibly Trevor.”
  • 20) Ya’aburnee (Levantine Arabic, colloquial)
    Meaning: Often glossed as “you bury me.” A poetic way of saying you hope to die before someone you love, because life without them would be unbearable.
    Use it: “It’s romantic, devastating, and far too intense for a Monday, but yes, ya’aburnee.”

How to borrow words politely

Language borrowing works best when it is affectionate, accurate, and not showy. My personal rules:

  • Use it where it fits, not where it flexes.
  • Give a quick clue the first time: “Total tsundoku, book piles everywhere.”
  • Do not correct people at parties unless they specifically ask, preferably in writing, notarized.

If your favorite English humor is the kind that depends on tiny word shifts and big misunderstandings, you might enjoy our piece on eggcorns vs. mondegreens, which is basically what happens when your ears do improv comedy.

Tiny trivia round

If you want to turn this into a family dinner game, ask: “Which word should English adopt first?” You will learn two things immediately: (1) everyone wants sobremesa, and (2) at least one person in your family is living proof of tsundoku.

And if you caught yourself groaning at “grief bacon,” please know I consider that the highest compliment. For more clean, good-natured wordplay, wander through our Funny English guide anytime.