16 Beautiful Untranslatable Words From Around The World

To some people, the idea of waking up very early in the morning for an early morning walk is a very annoying thing to do. Like why would you want to wake up really early just to go for an outdoor stroll when you can sleep in for fifteen more minutes before you start a long day? Well, that’s a good and fair point, as getting those extra minutes of sleep is always needed.

However, there is something poetic about waking up early in the morning to go for an early morning walk, while the rest of the world is still asleep. It’s as if everything around you is still and peaceful and so beautiful. And you’re there to see the sunrise, hear the birds sing their first song. Witnessing all this really sounds like a one-of-a-kind, magical experience.

Crazily enough, there is a Swedish word for this experience and it’s known as “gökotta.” Gökotta is only one of the many words out there that don’t really have a direct translation into the English language. It is one of those untranslatable words that makes learning a new language something special.

• Gökotta (Swedish): To wake up early in the morning to experience the stillness of your surroundings and hear the birds sing.
• Fjaka (Croatian): The sweetness of doing nothing.
• Shinrin-yoku (Japanese): Forest-bathing; spending time in the forest for relaxation.
• Sprezzatura (Italian): To make something look effortlessly nice.
• Sisu (Finnish): The ability to stay strong and courageous in difficult times.
• Mbuki-mvuki (Swahili): To take off one’s clothes and dance happily.
• Tarab (Arabic): Enchantment through art; losing track of time when listening to music.
• Utepils (Norwegian): To drink and enjoy beer outdoors on a sunny day.
• Sobremesa (Spanish): The time spent at the table connecting and interacting after a shared meal.
• Mamihlapinatapai (Yagán): A shared look between people hoping the other will start something they both desire.
• Queesting (Dutch): To invite your lover for a quick chat in bed.
• Sólarfrí (Icelandic): An unexpected day off to enjoy a nice, warm day under the sun.
• Aubade (French): A love song sung in the early morning or at dawn.
• Kalon (Greek): The ideal and perfect form of beauty in both the physical and moral sense.
• Cwtch (Welsh): A special, warm hug that feels like home.
• Feierabend (German): That joyous, celebratory feeling after finishing a work day.