Some words doesn't exist in a different language in one only word and need to be explained somehow. Can you share any?
In Spanish (from Spain) I know these ones, some of them really curious that doesn't exist in English...
-'Tutear' (verb): addressing someone in an informal way. This makes sense in my language since there's a variant in the second person (you) used formally when addressing old (or older) people, higher rank, or simply when we meet someone we don't know even with similar age. (To be honest I hate it when childs address me like that)
-'Empalagar' (verb): when you eat something which is extremely sweet for your taste that makes you sick. Used also as an adjective.
-'Sujetavelas' (noun): it's like an unwanted extra person who goes out with a couple (yeah.. annoying)
-'Estadounidense': Native from the USA. This is actually the most shocking to me and I guess that's why they call themselves Americans or North Americans but can be controversial for other citizens from the American continent. In this way I'd say this confusion is caused by the lack of this simple word.
-'Entrecejo' (noun): the space between the eyebrows (awful word btw)
-'Estrenar' (verb): Use / wear / perform something for the first time (I believe this words exists in your language, no?
-'Friolero' (adj): someone who is sensitive to the cold weather or dislike it.
I might be wrong and some of these words do exists in English, in such case let me know.
Inversely there're English words that doesn't exist in my language like the last one I learned; 'jaywalking'. I'd have never believe this word could exist in any language :D
Replies
:) mashala is an expression and Islamic one and you did get the meaning right
I think you have been to Egypt . Am I right Estanis :)
South Morocco :)
I will try to come back with examples when I am free :)
It's a very interesting topic Estanis
There are many Arabic words and expression that have no equalivant in English language. Especially cultural expression . Onthe other hand , many English words and expressions have no equalivant in arabic . In arabic language you can find many words to express things in degrees like rain have many words , first rain , heavy rain .... etc we have many meaning of clouds . There are the usual clouds and rainy clouds . Lights comes in degrees as well . There are so many abundance of words in arabic , that no one can imagine .
On the grammatical level we don't have the ( Be verbs ) or the ( perfect ) tenses . But I consider arabic grammar to be more difficult and complicated than English only clever people can master it .
We have the call pronoun in arabic "" Ya Estanis " means I am calling you . They don't have in English . At the end , I guess every language has it unique way of expressing words . Which most linguistics say it is arbitrary , there is no relation between the sounds and the look of things and other linguistical trait .
:) your topic is so big . Have a nice day Estanis
Gracias senior Estanis! A provocative topic. It needs a lot of thinking. I will come up with something if remember anything at all. Thanks for sharing.
We'll be glad to read of your words
Hi, Estanis.
Here is my contribution to that subject.
Sturmfrei (adjective)
literally translated: storm-free.
Your parents are not home, and you have the house alone for yourself.
In English, we would say "party-time!"
Innerer Schweinehund (noun)
literally translated: Inner pigdog.
We say so when an inner voice inside our brain keeps us up from doing something we should do. To silence this inner voice (this inner pigdog) is mostly very hard but if we overcome it, we have a good feeling.
Fernweh (noun)
literally translated: Distance pain.
It's the opposite of homesickness and describes the desire for traveling to far destinations.
Erklärungsnot (noun)
literally translated: Distress for an explanation.
It's the lack of having a prompt explanation for something.
Kummerspeck (noun)
literally translated: Sorrow bacon.
If someone has to face and to deal with bad experiences, for example, loss of the job, a divorce, death of someone, they often compensate for their grief by eating too much, they gain weight and become fat. That increase in weight, we call Kummerspeck (sorrow bacon).
Pantoffelheld (noun)
literally translated: Slipper hero.
We call a man so who always pretends of being a hard guy but he can't enforce against his wife. He always is the"loser" in discussions and decisions. We also say that he is under the slipper of his wife.
Dreikäsehoch (noun)
literally translated: Three cheese high.
A joking word for a little kid.
Erbsenzähler (noun)
literally translated: peas counter.
It's a person who everything takes fussy, often with an extreme desire for controlling everything.
Ohrwurm (noun)
literally translated: earworm.
An earworm is a song or melody you can't get out of your head and you sing it to yourself again and again.
Backpfeifengesicht (noun)
I don't know how to translate it, but it means someone with an unsympathetic facial expression literally begging to be hit in the face. You can name so a person who gets on your nerves.
Good Rose! Thank you!
Do you remember the movie 'home alone'? I wonder if its title in German would be 'Sturmfrei'
'Fernweh'? Ohh.. I suffer from this :/
'Pantoffelheld' lol... we call it here 'calzonazos' :D
'Kummerspeck' hmmm.. it's curious you have a word for this.
Btw I just hope not to get an 'Ohrwurm' like when I heard 'despacito' song all day.
I enjoyed your words! :)
You are a smart guy, Estanis. Sturmfrei...you also can say home alone...yessssssssssss...well done!
Hahaha..now...I have got an Ohrwurm...because I have the song 'despasito' in my mind now after you mentioned it.
I hope many members will tell us about words which don't exist in English language. It's fun!
Hi, Estanis. These are from Japanese language.
Syoshin(初心). It means "the state of mind that you start to do something at first." It is the state of being excited, hopefulness and freshness. We say "Don't forget 初心." It means "Remember what state of mind one was in at first."
Wabisabi(わびさび). It means "Japanese aesthetic sense that is simple and concise beauty." This is a Japanese garden that have わびさび.
Komorebi(木漏れ日). It means "Sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees."
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