Though there are currently over 1,000,000 words in the English language, Mental Floss has noted that “despite this large lexicon, many nuances of human experience still leave us tongue-tied.”
Here are some foreign words with no direct English translation:
Iktsuarpok (Inuit)
You know that feeling of anticipation when you’re waiting for someone to show up at your house and you keep going outside to see if they’re there yet? This is the word for it.
Pana Po’o (Hawaiian)
“Hmm, now where did I leave those keys?” he said, pana po’oing. It means to scratch your head in order to help you remember something you’ve forgotten.
Mencolek (Indonesian)
You know that old trick where you tap someone lightly on the opposite shoulder from behind to fool them? The Indonesians have a word for it.
Kummerspeck (German)
Excess weight gained from emotional overeating. Literally, it means grief bacon.
Greng-jai (Thai)
That feeling you get when you don’t want someone to do something for you because it would be a pain for them.
Shemomedjamo (Georgian)
You know when you’re really full, but your meal is just so delicious, you can’t stop eating it? This word means, “I accidentally ate the whole thing.”
Zeg (Georgian)
It means “the day after tomorrow.”
Pålegg (Norweigian)
The Norwegians have a non-specific descriptor for anything – ham, cheese, jam, Nutella, mustard, herring, pickles, Doritos, you name it – you might consider putting into a sandwich.
Tartle (Scots)
The word for that panicky hesitation just before you have to introduce someone whose name you can’t quite remember.
Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego)
This word captures that special look shared between two people, when both are wishing that the other would do something that they both want, but neither want to do.
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