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 Audio
Jouissance "an excess of life", often translated as joy but also can be understood as catharsis French attribute
Seigneur-terrasse Someone who spends time, but not money, at a café French funny life
Être dépaysé To be in an environment you're not used to French change society awareness
L'esprit de l'escalier Thinking of the perfect reply after the conversation is over. French friends interaction
Sortable adj. Someone you can take out without fear of being embarrassed, usually used to refer to friends or family members. e.g. "Elle n'est pas sortable." French friends interaction society
Débrouillardise Quality of someone who is resourceful and lives with the ability to creatively improvise; someone who can make do and solve problems without much French creative
Rire dans sa barbe To laugh in your beard quietly while thinking about something that has happened French funny reflection action
Mitonner Cooking with passion French food love beauty
Arlésienne Used to describe people who are at the centre of a conversation/situation/problem but can’t be found anywhere French society interaction
Crapoter verb. To not take a lungful of a cigarette. French health action society
En plein air Outdoors; in the open air. French nature physical
Avoir la molle A listless unwillingness to do any work French adverse
Beau geste A gesture noble in its nature or intention but ultimately meaningless in substance French action
L'appel du vide Describes the instinctive urge to jump from high places French habits physical
La douleur exquise The pain that comes from wanting someone you can’t have French feeling awareness love
Dépaysement The feeling of being in an environment that you are not used to French feeling awareness change
Recherché Rare, exotic, unusual; not understood or appreciated by many people. French beauty attribute
Retrouvailles Lit. 'rediscovery'; a reunion (e.g., with loved ones after a long time apart). French friends family
Spleen Melancholy without apparent cause French feeling
Décidément When coincidences occur or when events repeat themselves by chance (for example, when you run into the same person many times in one week) French surprise interaction fate
Bon vivant Someone who enjoys and appreciates the good life. French positive happiness
Dépayser Disorientation; not necessarily unpleasant (e.g., a pleasant sense of strangeness from being in a foreign country). French change feeling
Saucer To mop up the sauce from your plate with a piece of bread French action food
Énouement The bittersweetness of having arrived in the future, seeing how things turn out, but not being able to tell your past self. French awareness philosophy
Gourmand One who is excessively fond of eating and drinking. French food attribute




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