Approximately 375 million people speak English as their first language, and while it’s one of the most widely used and known languages in the world, the english vocabulary doesn’t always do justice to the shaded nuances and experiences of everyday life.
Take a look at our list of ten foreign words that don’t exist in English.
10. Skjerp deg
(Norwegian) Skjerp deg could be translated as “sharpen yourself up.” It is used in all sorts of situations but it generally means you’re making a fool out of yourself.
9. Kabel Salat
(German) Kabel salat literally means “cable salad,” and it refers to a messy tangle of cables.
8. Schadenfreude
(German) Schadenfreude refers to the pleasure derived from someone else’s pain.
7. L’esprit de l’escalier
(French) L’esprit de l’escalier translates to “staircase wit.” It refers to the act of thinking of a clever comeback after it’s too late to deliver it.
6. Forelsket
(Norwegian) Forelsket refers to the elation you feel when you first start falling in love with someone.
5. Faen
(Norwegian) Faen translates to “the devil,” however, it’s used as an all purpose swear word. Faen can be used as a noun, an adjective, an adverb, and even a preposition.
4. Age-otori
(Japanese) Age-otori refers to when someone looks worse after getting a haircut.
3. Razliubit
(Russian) Razliubit is a word that refers to the bittersweet experience of falling out of love.
2. Tima
(Icelandic) Tima is a word that refers to not being ready to spend time or money on something, even though you can afford it.
1. Yoko meshi
(Japanese) Yoko meshi literally means “a meal eaten sideways,” however, it refers to the stress of speaking a foreign language.
Do you know any other foreign words that don’t translate to english? Share with us in the comments.
[Featured image credit: www.bikelebek.com]
10 Foreign Phrases that Don’t Exist in English but Definitely Should is a post from: LifeDaily