One of the greatest pleasures you can have when learning another language is coming upon a word that you have never heard before that’s just beautiful.
Beautiful words in other languages are precious treasures that provide you with insight into the hearts and minds of people of other cultures.
There’s no joy that quite encompasses learning cool sounding words in other languages. Sometimes these words are just a nicer way of saying something like “I love you”. Sometimes there are beautiful untranslatable words that capture a thought, feeling, or even sight that you don’t have a word for in your own native tongue.
In this post, we’ve gathered some of the most beautiful words from around the world. Take a look and marvel at how rich and inspirational words in other languages can be.
1. Apnapan
Language: Hindi
Sort of like unconditional acceptance. When you think of other people as “your own” and take care of them because you love them and expect nothing in return.
2. Aware
Language: Japanese
This refers to the bittersweet feeling of recognizing that a beautiful moment will only last a short time and is already fading away.
3. Bhava
Language: Sanskrit
Being in a state of bliss and perfect peace in your mind.
4. Cafune
Language: Portuguese
This refers to the act of running your fingers slowly through the hair of someone that you love.
5. Commuovere
Language: Italian
This is a word that refers to a good and heartwarming story. A story that stirred your emotions and had you fighting back tears.
6. Desbundar
Language: Portuguese
The feeling of being carefree and uninhibited. When you stop caring what anyone else thinks and give yourself over completely to having fun.
7. Douleur Exquise
Language: French
The exquisite pain of truly loving someone who doesn’t love you back. Unrequited love.
8. Famn
Language: Swedish
This is meant to designate the space contained between two arms. So, it means something like “in my arms.”
9. Fargin
Language: Yiddish
When you are unashamedly and loudly proud and happy about someone’s success.
10. Feierabend
Language: German
This German word literally translates to “evening celebration”. It refers to the relieved and festive mood that comes over someone during the end of the day, specifically after you’ve gotten off work.
11. Fika
Language: Swedish
This is a “coffee break”, but in Sweden, it’s a break that is a high point of their day. It is time to spend drinking coffee and having some sweet baked goods with colleagues, friends, or family,
12. Flâner
Language: French
This is a word that was popularized by the literary crowd of 19th century Paris. This is a leisurely stroll that you take with no specific destination in mind. You are simply strolling for the pleasure of enjoying the beauty of your surroundings.
13. Forelsket
Language: Norwegian
This is similar to “crushing” as it’s meant to describe the feeling of deep infatuation. When you feel this for someone, you are falling in love with them, but are not quite in love yet.
14. Gattara
Language: Italian
This is the equivalent to a “cat lady”. A female who lives alone with a lot of cats, or “gatto” as they are called in Italian.
15. Gezelligheid
Language: Dutch
A feeling of warmth. Not necessarily literal “warmth” but more intense quiet happiness associated with being around loved ones.
16. Gigil
Language: Filipino
This is a visceral reaction that you get when you see something cute and you just want to squeeze it. Think of a baby and its cheeks. It can also be used to express mild irritation. You are irritated enough to want to mildly hurt them, but not angry enough to really cause harm.
17. Goya
Language: Urdu
This is a word used to describe a very VERY good story or storyteller. It means that a story is so good that you suspend your disbelief and the fantastic becomes real.
18. Gökotta
Language: Swedish
This refers to the act of getting up early in the morning specifically to go outside to hear the birds sing.
19. Hanyauku
Language: Rukwangali
This describes the act of walking across warm sand on your tiptoes.
20. Heimat
Language: German
Similar to “homeland” or “home country” but it goes a little deeper. Maybe the more accurate way to think of this is “beloved homeland”. This doesn’t just refer to where you were born but the place that has shaped you and your attitudes.
21. Hiraeth
Language: Welsh
This refers to feeling a mixture of homesickness and nostalgia. When you experience grief and sadness over something that was lost, either in time or because you are no longer in the same location.
22. Hyggelit
Language: Danish
The feeling of being completely comfortable and at home. Cozy.
23. Iktsuarpok
Language: Inuit
When you just “can’t wait” to see someone. This is an intense feeling of anticipation for someone’s arrival. You are so excited and impatient to see them, you keep checking “out the window” to see if you can see them coming.
24. Jayus
Language: Indonesian
This is meant to refer to when someone has told a bad joke. A joke so bad or corny, you can’t help but laugh – albeit grudgingly.
25. Jijivisha
Language: Hindi
This refers to the strong desire to keep living. It’s usually used to talk about someone who loves life.
26. Kilig
Language: Filipino
Similar to the idea of “having butterflies in your stomach” when you see someone you have a crush on. It can refer to the sweet thrill of seeing something romantic. “Kilig” doesn’t just refer to something that happens to you, however; you can get “kilig” if you witness something sweet happening to someone else.
27. Komorebi
Language: Japanese
This is a beautiful and inspiring word in Japanese that is meant to describe sunlight that is filtering through the leaves.
28. Kreng-jai
Language: Thai
This is a sense of not wanting someone to be inconvenienced because of you. You don’t want them to do you a favor or go to any trouble for your sake.
29. Mamihlapinatapei
Languages: Yaghan
A meaningful look shared between two people who want to start something, maybe a romance, but are too shy or scared to make a move. It can also mean an unspoken agreement between two people.
30. Mångata
Language: Swedish
This is a beautiful, descriptive word that refers to the reflection of the moon in the water. Specifically, the long wavy shape that moonlight makes when it shines on the water.
31. Merak
Language: Serbian
A feeling of bliss and contentment over a simple pleasure. Can also refer to the act of pursuing these simple pleasures so that they add up to a general feeling of fulfillment and happiness with your life.
32. Meraki
Language: Greek
This cool Greek word means “pouring one’s heart” into an endeavor. To put everything you have into what you are doing.
33. Naz
Language: Urdu
The pride you have in knowing that the love someone has for you is unconditional. An unshakable belief that your love is strong and true.
34. Nervio
Language: Spanish
This is similar to “gigil” in Filipino. When you feel such a great rush of affection towards something you just want to squeeze it.
35. Philotimo
Language: Greek
This translates to “love of honor” and refers to the importance that Greeks put into respecting and honoring their family and friends.
36. Piliriqatigiinniq
Language: Inuit
This word may be a bit of a mouthful, but it simply means having a sense of camaraderie and community spirit.
37. Prozvonit
Language: Czech
This refers to the very modern practice of ringing someone’s mobile phone. Specifically, this is a tactic used by a mobile phone user to try and save on their minutes. Basically, they will call you and only allow it to ring once, so you will have a “missed call” from them. They hope that it will make you call them back, so they can contact you without spending their minutes.
38. Ré nao
Language: Mandarin
Someone or someplace that is fun and lively. THE place to be.
39. Resfeber
Language: Swedish
Travelers are very familiar with this feeling; it’s the restless beating of your heart as you anticipate the start of a journey.
40. Retrouvailles
Language: French
This word mean’s “rediscovery” but the French use it to refer to a reunion between loved ones who have been apart for a long time.
41. Ruhe
Language: German
A time of peace and quiet, when there is nothing bothering you and you feel completely calm.
42. Samar
Language: Arabic
The cozy and convivial feeling of staying up late talking, with friends or family, or both.
43. Saudade
Language: Portuguese
A melancholy nostalgia. When you long for something that is now lost to you.
44. Sobremesa
Language: Spanish
What is better than a good meal? Good conversation shared with family and friends after the meal is over.
45. Stuisvogelpolitiek
Language: Dutch
This word literally translates to “ostrich politics”. It is a reference to the idea that the ostrich will bury its head in the sand and believe that that hides it from approaching danger. The Dutch use this to describe someone who ignores the situation around them and continues on with their life.
46. Тоска
Language: Russian
Russians use this to describe a very deep melancholy that you feel for no specific reason.
47. To’oborni
Language: Arabic
This describes the feeling of loving someone so much, that you hope that you die before them because you can’t imagine your life going on without them.
48. Trepverter
Language: Yiddish
This literally translates to “stair words” and it is used to describe that frustrating feeling you get when you’ve come up with the perfect witty retort -- hours after the conversation or argument has happened.
49. Ukiyo-e
Language: Japanese
The literal meaning of this word in Japanese is “floating world”. The Japanese use this to describe someone who is “living for the moment” and who doesn’t let the small things bother them.
50. Uitbuiken
Language: Dutch
This literally translates to “out bullying”. The Dutch use it to refer to the feeling of being pleasantly full and satisfied after a good meal.
51. Uteplis
Language: Norwegian
The Norwegian’s use this to describe the act of sitting outside, enjoying a beer on a sunny day.
52. Vacilando
Language: Spanish
This is the Spanish word for “wanderer” but it goes a little deeper than that. This is someone who will say with all earnestness, “it’s the journey, not the destination.”
53. Wabi-Sabi
Language: Japanese
This word refers to a very Japanese mindset of finding beauty in something by embracing its flaws and imperfections. The Japanese art of Kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer, embraces this mindset.
54. Waldeinsamkeit
Language: German
If you like the outdoors, you probably understand the feeling of “waldeinsamkeit”. It refers to the special sense of peace that comes from being alone in the woods and connected to nature.
55. Ya’aburnee
Language: Arabic
It seems like one of the most horrible things that could happen to an Arabic language speaker is for them to outlive their loved ones. This phrase translates to “you bury me” and means that you hope that you will go before your loved one because otherwise, life will be unbearable.
56. Yuánfèn
Language: Mandarin
Fated. This describes a relationship that is destined or predetermined.
So, there you have it, 56 beautiful and inspirational words in other languages. While this might sound like a lot, we’re actually just scratching the surface when it comes to beautiful words.
If you talk with a native language speaker, they are sure to be able to tell you more than 50 beautiful and cool sounding words in other languages.
Working with a tutor who is a native language speaker is a great way to expand your vocabulary to include beautiful words from other languages. They can also help you figure out the best times and ways to use these words in conversation.
What does Douleur Exquise mean?
It's a French word that describes the exquisite pain of truly loving someone who doesn’t love you back. Unrequited love.
What does Fika mean?
Swedish word for a “coffee break”, but in Sweden, it’s a break that is a high point of their day. It is time to spend drinking coffee and having some sweet baked goods with colleagues, friends, or family.
What does Wabi-Sabi mean?
Japanese word that refers to a very Japanese mindset of finding beauty in something by embracing its flaws and imperfections. The Japanese art of Kintsugi, which repairs broken pottery with gold or silver lacquer, embraces this mindset.
