12 Untranslatable words and Their Translations
There are some words from around the world that can’t be translated. Traductanet would like to present you with a list of 12 untranslatable words that we will try to explain.
For instance: is it the case that words such as the Portuguese “saudade” can only be truly understood by those who speak the language in question?
1- Saudade
This Portuguese word crops up on many lists of untranslatable terms. The writer Manuel de Melo has defined it as “a pleasure you suffer; an ailment you enjoy”. You could argue that that’s a reasonable description of the concept of “nostalgia”. It would seem to be the case that the important place occupied by “saudade” in the literary and musical tradition of Portuguese-speaking countries is what is difficult to “translate”. In other words, this simply boils down to cultural differences.
2 – Desenrascanço
This Portuguese word describes the ability to solve problems quickly, without having many means to do so.
3 – Fernweh
This German word describes a longing to visit faraway places.
4 -Bakku-shan
This Japanese untranslatable word means “a woman who is only beautiful when seen from behind”.
5 – Shlimazl
We included this Yiddish term in our list of untranslatable words as it describes as the quality of being “chronically unlucky”, a concept for which there is no single word in other languages.
6 – Gattara
This Italian word refers to a woman who is generally older and lives alone, taking care of stray cats.
7 – Hanyauku
This Kwangali word describes the action of walking on the tips of your toes to avoid hot sand.
8 – Cúbóg
This is an Irish word that refers to a batch or collection of Easter eggs.
9 – Tsundoku
This Japanese word describes the act of leaving a recently bought book unread close to other unread books.
10 – Pochemuchka
This Russian word refers to a person who asks too many questions
11 – Utepils
This Norwegian word describes the act of sitting outside on a Sunday drinking beer.
12 – Iktsuarpok
Who hasn’t felt the frustration of having to wait for someone? This Inuit word was included in this list of untranslatable words because it describes precisely that feeling.
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