20 Beautiful Words I Wish Existed In English

1. Age-otori (Japanese): To look worse after a haircut. Is it just me or does this happen more often than it should?

2. Cafune (Brazilian Portuguese): As if Brazilians were not seductive enough, they would come up with a word for “tenderly running your fingers through your lover’s hair.” How romantic!

3. Chingada (Mexican Spanish): A hellish, imaginary, faraway place where you send all those who annoy you. If only this place existed, right?

4. Estrenar (Spanish): The experience of wearing something for the first time. This is one of the best feelings when you are a fashionista.

5. Fernweh (German): That feeling you get of homesickness for a place you’ve never traveled or ventured to. It is similar to wanderlust; however, the difference is that wanderlust is a yearning to visit all those places rather than that distinct feeling of homesickness for them.

6. Forelsket (Norwegian/Danish): The intense almost unreal feeling that comes with the beginning of love; when you start to fall in love. Catching feelings is a dangerous endeavor.

7. Gigil (Filipino): The urge to pinch or squeeze something that is irresistibly cute. In this case scenario, all I can imagine is a room full of puppies.

8. Gjensynsglede (Norwegian): The joy of meeting up with someone you haven’t seen in a long time. There’s no better than seeing a familiar face after years of being apart.

9. Goya (Urdu): This refers to the transporting suspension of disbelief that happens when fantasy is so realistic that it temporarily becomes reality. It is usually associated with good, powerful storytelling.

10.  Hygge (Danish): The warm feeling you get while enjoying the company of great friends and all life has to offer. I feel this way every time my friends and I reunite.

11. Iktsuarpok (Inuit): That feeling of anticipation when you’re waiting for someone to show up outside of your house and you keep checking to see if they’ve arrived yet. Every time I hear this word, I image a little puppy sitting in the windowsill waiting for its owner.

12. Jaksaa (Finnish): A lack of enthusiasm to do something. This is that moment when you realize the weekend is over and you have work in the morning.

13. Kilig (Tagalog): That sudden feeling of bliss you get when something romantic or idealistic occurs.

14. L’esprit de l’escalier (French): A witty remark thought of too late, on the way home. It’s that clever comment you wish you had said earlier.

15. Mamihlapinatapai  (Yaghan language of Tierra del Fuego): This describes 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 it. Why do human beings have to complicated things?

16. Odnoliub (Russian ): Someone who has only one love in his or her life, or someone who is capable of loving only one at a time. Do these people still exist?

17. Razljubit (Russian): The feeling you have for someone you once loved.

18. Sisu (Finnish): Strength of will, determination, and perseverance in the face of adversity.

19. Tima (Icelandic): Not being ready to spend time or money on a specific thing, even though you may be able to afford it. This is how I feel when I have to pay my bills.

20. Yugen (Japanese): A deep awareness of the universe that triggers feelings too profound and mysterious for words.