Eunoia: Words that Don't Translate

Eunoia was built in 24h by Steph. Search 700+ untranslatable words by 80+ languages and 60+ tags, or click refresh to see a new batch. Enjoy!

Word	Definition	Language	Tags
Palla	To steal fruit off trees	Swedish	funny action food
Stushevatsya	To fade into the background	Russian	action
Zugzwang	To be forced to make a move even though it will likely to be at your disadvantage	German	action interaction philosophy
Zhaghzhagh	The chattering of teeth from the cold or from rage	Tamil	adverse action physical
Guddle	To fish using the hands, by searching under stones at a river bank	Scottish	action nature
Kalsarikänni	to get drunk (alone) at home in your underwear with no intention of going out	Finnish	funny action
Ripsaspis (ρίψασπις)	Literal: "the one that throws down his shield"; the one that gives in with dismay	Greek	action
Tôpäj (төпәй)	Interjection that is used to forewarn a child of falling	Bashkir	action
Kombinować	to conspire/try to resolve a problem with unusual methods or through connections	Polish	creative action
Crapoter	verb. To not take a lungful of a cigarette.	French	health action society
Blunda	To close your eyes. Can be used literally or figuratively; refuse to see something.	Swedish	action
Rire dans sa barbe	To laugh in your beard quietly while thinking about something that has happened	French	funny reflection action
Beau geste	A gesture noble in its nature or intention but ultimately meaningless in substance	French	action
Chai-Pani	Literal: "tea and water"; the money and favors given to someone to get things done	Hindi	food action
Voetstoots	A sale where the thing is sold as is or with all its faults without any guarantees	Afrikaans	action
Dhurna	Extorting payment from someone by sitting at their front door and staying there until you get paid	Hindi	action persistence
Zechpreller	A person who leaves a restaurant without paying	German	adverse action food
Apapachar	Pamper a person especially when she or he is sad	Spanish	action
Tima	Not being ready to spend time or money on a specific thing, despite being able to afford it	Icelandic	thinking action
Shlep	To bring something from one place to another, but with the implication that its a burden to the carrier. Example: I had to shlep the bag of rocks all the way down the road	Yiddish	physical action
kataṟu (கதறு)	Helplessly shaking and crying	Tamil	action adverse
Scrumping	Stealing fruit (particularly apples) from trees	English	food action
Tsuji-giri	To try out a new sword on a passer-by	Japanese	action violence
Harkla	The little coughing noise one makes, often before giving a speech or dislodging a piece of cinnamon bun from their throat	Swedish	action
Chantepleurer	Singng and crying simultaneously	French	action

Word

Definition

Language

Tags

Audio

Palla

To steal fruit off trees

Swedish

funny action food

Stushevatsya

To fade into the background

Russian

action

Zugzwang

To be forced to make a move even though it will likely to be at your disadvantage

German

action interaction philosophy

Zhaghzhagh

The chattering of teeth from the cold or from rage

Tamil

adverse action physical

Guddle

To fish using the hands, by searching under stones at a river bank

Scottish

action nature

Kalsarikänni

to get drunk (alone) at home in your underwear with no intention of going out

Finnish

funny action

Ripsaspis (ρίψασπις)

Literal: "the one that throws down his shield"; the one that gives in with dismay

Greek

action

Tôpäj (төпәй)

Interjection that is used to forewarn a child of falling

Bashkir

action

Kombinować

to conspire/try to resolve a problem with unusual methods or through connections

Polish

creative action

Crapoter

verb. To not take a lungful of a cigarette.

French

health action society

Blunda

To close your eyes. Can be used literally or figuratively; refuse to see something.

Swedish

action

Rire dans sa barbe

To laugh in your beard quietly while thinking about something that has happened

French

funny reflection action

Beau geste

A gesture noble in its nature or intention but ultimately meaningless in substance

French

action

Chai-Pani

Literal: "tea and water"; the money and favors given to someone to get things done

Hindi

food action

Voetstoots

A sale where the thing is sold as is or with all its faults without any guarantees

Afrikaans

action

Dhurna

Extorting payment from someone by sitting at their front door and staying there until you get paid

Hindi

action persistence

Zechpreller

A person who leaves a restaurant without paying

German

adverse action food

Apapachar

Pamper a person especially when she or he is sad

Spanish

action

Tima

Not being ready to spend time or money on a specific thing, despite being able to afford it

Icelandic

thinking action

Shlep

To bring something from one place to another, but with the implication that its a burden to the carrier. Example: I had to shlep the bag of rocks all the way down the road

Yiddish

physical action

kataṟu (கதறு)

Helplessly shaking and crying

Tamil

action adverse

Scrumping

Stealing fruit (particularly apples) from trees

English

food action

Tsuji-giri

To try out a new sword on a passer-by

Japanese

action violence

Harkla

The little coughing noise one makes, often before giving a speech or dislodging a piece of cinnamon bun from their throat

Swedish

action

Chantepleurer

Singng and crying simultaneously

French

action

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