The 50 Most Difficult Words to Translate into English
What happens when a word isn’t easily translated into English? Many words require careful explanation for English speakers, while others, like “schadenfreude,” are absorbed into the language as is. Find out which 50 words are most difficult to translate into English.
Text version
Akihi | Hawaiian
Receiving instructions and immediately forgetting everything once you try to apply them
Kummerspeck | German
Literally "grief bacon," the weight one gains through emotional stress-eating
Baisure | French
The spot where two loaves of bread have touched while baking in the oven
Kyoiku mama (教育ママ) | Japanese
A woman obsessed with her children's educational achievements
Boketto (ボケット) | Japanese
Absently idling without doing or thinking about anything in particular
L'appel du vide | French
Literally "the call of the void," an inexplicable instinctive urge to jump from a high place
Bulemielernen | German
Literally "bulimic studying," the process of cramming for a test and instantly forgetting everything the next day
Lebenslüge | German
Literally "life lie," self-deception to avoid conflicts with a core part of one's identity
Cafuné | Brazilian Portuguese
The act of gently running your fingers through a loved one's hair
Mamihlapinatapei | Yaghan
The silent look exchanged between two people who both wish the other would initiate something but are both hesitant to initiate anything themselves
Culaccino | Italian
The small amount of substance remaining at the bottom of a cup or glass once fully drunk; also the mark a wet glass leaves behind on a surface
Mangata | Swedish
The reflection the moon makes in a body of water
Dépaysement | French
A feeling of discomfort resulting from being outside of your native country
Maskrosbarn | Swedish
Literally "dandelion child," someone who lives through a difficult childhood but turns out all right in the end, like a dandelion breaking through tough pavement
Deppenleerzeichen | German
Literally "idiot's white space," the resulting space when mistakenly writing a compound word as two words
Mikkabouzu (三日坊主) | Japanese
Literally "three-day monk," someone who gives up at the slightest difficulty or fails to stick to anything
Duende | Spanish
The strong but unexplainable power of a piece of art to deeply move a person emotionally
Pochemuchka (почемучка) | Russian
Someone who incessantly asks questions
Elefantenrennen | German
Literally "elephant race," a situation in which one slow driver tries to pass another slightly slower driver, thereby obstructing the traffic behind them
Prozvonit | Czech
To make a phone call and then hang up before it's answered
Estağfurullah | Turkish
A word used to courteously reject a compliment while still expressing gratitude for it
Sankocha (ಸಂಕೋಚ) | Kannada
The feeling of discomfort after having received an inappropriately extravagant gift and feeling obliged to return the favor, even though it's out of your means
Friolenta | Spanish
A woman who is extremely sensitive to the cold
Schadenfreude | German
The sadistic pleasure one derives from others' misfortune
Fußhupe | German
Literally "foot horn," a dog so tiny it may accidentally be stepped on (at which point it produces a "honking" sound)
Sharmā jī kā betā (शर्मा जी का बेटा) | Hindi
Literally "Mr. Sharma's son," the "perfect" child of your parents' friend whom they compare you to when they're upset with you
Gluggaveõur | Icelandic
Literally "window weather," weather that looks nice but in actuality is not
-shimau | Japanese
An auxiliary verb used to convey a lack of intention and often a connotation of regret (e.g., tabeteshimatta (食べてしまった), "I didn't mean to eat it, but I did anyway")
Grengjai (เกร็งใจ) | Thai
To feel obliged to do something for somebody to avoid them feeling bad
Skämskudde | Swedish
Literally "cringe pillow," a pillow (real or imaginary) used to cover one's face when watching something cringy
Grima | Spanish
Discomfort from such stimuli as the scratching of nails on a blackboard, the thought of a needle piercing your eye, the sound of someone cracking their knuckles, etc.
Shlimazel | Yiddish
Someone who's always unlucky
Gyaku-gire (逆ギレ) | Japanese
Being angry at someone for justifiably being angry at you
Tingo | Pascuense
To continuously borrow objects from a friend until one has taken all his or her belongings
Hiraeth | Welsh
A feeling of melancholy and a sense of longing for a place that never existed
Torschlusspanik | German
Literally "gate-closing panic," the fear of running out of time to act on an opportunity or life goal
Hyggelig | Danish
An adjective describing a warm, cozy, friendly atmosphere--e.g., hot mulled mead with close friends in front of a cozy fireplace
Tsundoku (積ん読) | Japanese
The act of stockpiling books without reading them
Iktsuarpok | Inuit
The anticipation one experiences when waiting for a visitor, resulting in frequent trips outside to check for them
Verschlimmbessern | German
To try to improve something but just end up making it worse
Ilunga | Tshiluba
A person willing to forgive abuse upon the first offense and tolerate it upon the second instance, but drawing the line the third time it happens
Vorführeffekt | German
The phenomenon of failing at doing something you can normally do as soon as you try to show it to someone
Jayus | Indonesian
A joke so unfunny and poorly delivered that it paradoxically evokes laughter
Wabi-Sabi (侘び寂び) | Japanese
A lifestyle wherein one endeavors to discover the beauty in imperfections
Jubjoter | French
To awaken from a dream before it ends and attempt to fall back asleep to find out the ending
Waldeinsamkeit | German
The feeling of solitude that comes with being alone in the forest
Kalpa (कल्प) | Sanskrit
The grand-scale passage of time in a cosmological sense
Yahourt | French
A foreign song you try to sing along to by mimicking the sounds without understanding the language
Kissanristiäiset | Finnish
Literally "cat's christening," a trivial or unimportant celebration or social gathering
Załatwić | Polish
To use connections, charm, or bribes to get something you want