The 13 Most Untranslatable Words – Voted by You!
Listen & Learn has had a long-standing obsession with those tricky foreign words that refuse to be translated. So, instead of the usual research one would do to find new ones, we decided to ask redditors for their opinions on the most difficult word in their native language to translate into English:
1. Lagom – Swedish
adjective - enough to satisfy you, but not too much.
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Photo by Tommie Hansen
2 & 3. Gezellig & Beleg – Dutch
adjective – a friendly ambience; a cozy atmosphere
noun – a bread topping

Photo by Austin Kirk
4. Sijuiak – Bidayuh
adjective – the feeling that describes not feeling like eating anymore, even though you are not quite full yet

Photo by Dennis Wong
5. Dépaysement - French
noun – a change of scenery
adjective – the feeling that is accompanied with this change of scenery

Photo by Ignacio Sanz
6. Lummert – Norwegian
adjective – the feeling that a storm is brewing

photo by Saperaud
7. Goesting - Flemish
adjective – a want, or need for something

Photo by Wolfgang Staudt
8. Attpåklatt - Norwegian
noun – a much younger sibling

photo by Jonathan Kos-Read
9. Jayus – Indonesian
noun – a poorly told joke that still manages to be funny, however, only because it’s so bad

photo by Christopher Cannon
10. Schadenfreude – German
noun – a feeling of pleasure at another’s misfortune

photo by Andrew Imanaka
11. Yakamoz – Turkish
noun – the reflection of moonlight on the water

photo by Serge
12. L’tzantek – Hebrew
verb – the act of giving someone a ‘missed call’ in order for them to know to call you back

photo by NutellaStellaAmelia
13. Gjennomslagskraft – Norwegian
adjective – having the willpower or force to push through an obstacle, or get a message across

photo by theaucitron
It would seem that Norway wins the award for the country with the trickiest untranslatable words! If you’d like to learn more about the language, send us an enquiry, or test your current Norwegian level!
Do you have any quirky words from your own language you’d like to see added to the list? Send them to us in the comments section below!