Source

Borrowed

Words borrowed from other languages that capture unique concepts.

53 words

Pålegg

poh-leg

n. Anything you could put on or between slices of bread.

Commuovere

koh-mwoh-veh-reh

v. To be moved in a heartwarming way, often to tears.

Mangata

mang-gah-tah

n. The road-like reflection of the moon on water.

Samar

sah-mar

n. Staying up late and having an enjoyable time with friends.

Gezellig

khuh-zell-ikh

adj. A warm, positive feeling of togetherness and coziness.

Glaswen

glas-wen

n. A sarcastic or mocking smile.

Meraki

may-rah-kee

adj. Pouring yourself wholeheartedly into something with creativity and love.

Kilig

kee-lig

n. The feeling of butterflies in your stomach from something romantic or cute.

Pisan Zapra

pee-san zah-pra

n. The time needed to eat a banana.

Jugaad

joo-gaad

n. Creative problem-solving with minimal resources.

Fika

fee-ka

v. Taking a break to enjoy coffee, pastries, and conversation with others.

Hiraeth

heer-eyeth

n. Homesickness for a place you can't return to or that never existed.

Tíma

tee-ma

v. Reluctance to spend time or money despite having the means.

Komorebi

koh-moh-reh-bee

n. Sunlight filtering through tree leaves.

Razliubit

raz-lyoo-beet

v. To fall out of love.

Kummerspeck

koom-er-shpeck

n. Weight gained from emotional overeating.

Boketto

boh-ket-toh

n. Gazing vacantly into the distance without thinking.

Vacilando

vah-see-lan-doh

v. Traveling for the journey rather than the destination.

Karelu

kah-reh-loo

n. Mark left on skin by tight clothing.

Jayus

jah-yoos

n. A joke so bad it's funny.

Shlimazel

shlih-mah-zel

n. A person with constant bad luck.

Ubuntu

oo-boon-too

n. The interconnectedness of humanity and human kindness.

Gurfa

goor-fah

n. The amount of water that can be held in one hand.

Trepverter

trep-ver-ter

n. A witty comeback thought of too late.

Struisvogelpolitiek

stroys-voh-gel-poh-lee-teek

n. Ignoring problems and pretending everything is normal.

Wabi-sabi

wah-bee sah-bee

n. Finding beauty in imperfections and accepting life's transience.

Mamihlapinatapai

mah-mee-hlah-pee-nah-tah-pie

n. Silent understanding between two people, both unwilling to act.

Resfeber

race-fay-ber

n. Anxious excitement before a journey.

Tiam

tee-ahm

n. The twinkle in your eye when meeting someone new.

Ya'aburnee

yah-ah-boor-nee

n. Hope to die before a loved one to avoid living without them.

Feuillemort

fuh-yeh-mor

adj. The color of a faded, dying leaf.

Poronkusema

po-ron-ku-se-ma

n. Distance a reindeer can travel before needing rest.

Warmduscher

varm-doo-sher

n. Someone who only takes warm showers, implying they're a wimp.

Nunchi

noon-chee

n. The art of reading others' moods and intentions.

Akihi

ah-kee-hee

n. Forgetting directions right after hearing them.

Murr-ma

murr-mah

v. Searching for something in water using only your feet.

Goya

goy-ah

n. The suspension of disbelief in storytelling.

Drachenfutter

drah-ken-fut-ter

n. A gift given to make up for bad behavior.

Szimpatikus

sim-pa-ti-kus

adj. Intuitively feeling that someone is a good person upon first meeting.

Iktsuarpok

ik-tsoo-ar-pok

n. Repeatedly checking if someone is coming.

Forelsket

for-el-sket

n. The euphoria of falling in love.

Tretar

tre-tar

n. A second refill of coffee, or the third cup.

Tsundoku

tsoon-do-koo

n. Buying books and leaving them unread.

Sgriob

skreeb

n. The itch on the upper lip before drinking whiskey.

Kabelsalat

kah-bel-sa-laht

n. A tangled mess of cables.

Naz

nahz

n. Pride from knowing you're unconditionally loved.

Luftmensch

looft-mensh

n. A dreamer or impractical person.

Saudade

saw-dah-deh

n. A deep longing for something lost or unattainable.

Cotisuelto

ko-tee-swell-toh

n. A man who wears his shirt untucked.

Waldeinsamkeit

vald-ain-zahm-kite

n. The feeling of solitude in the woods.

Cafuné

ka-foo-neh

n. Tenderly running fingers through a loved one's hair.

Kalpa

kal-pa

n. Time on a grand cosmological scale.

Tartle

tar-tul

n. Hesitating when introducing someone because you've forgotten their name.

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