In German, there is a word, "Ohrwurm", literally "ear worm", which means an annoying tune or refrain you can't get out of your head. Like that blasted jingle you heard in a tv advert last night, or the current Ariana Grande hit (I need to be the one who takes you home) which my teenage daughters play incessantly, etc.
Where I am: "ngawur", which doesn't translate well into English. If at all. In fact, it's hard to say exactly what it means. But it's a very useful word nevertheless. Say it at any time, in any situation, and people will be impressed by your insight. Whatever that insight might have been perceived as being.
'Lagom' is a very useful Swedish word. It is close to 'enough' or 'moderate' or 'adequate'. It's so very typically Swedish because that's how we are most of the time - never exaggerate, never express much emotions, never get too angry etc etc - just 'lagom'.
Ah yes, Schadenfreude. Reminds me of a word peculiar to Swiss dialect, though Germans would understand it if they heard it: "Wohlweh." It translates as "pleasure-pain," the feeling when an aching muscle is massaged, for example, or when you scratch an itch until it bleeds. Ahhhhh-ouch!
Originally posted by @handyandy Schadenfreude ~ Enjoying another person's misfortune.
That's a favourite of mine. The Germans have many brilliant words:
Kummerspeck (Grief bacon)
When a relationship ends or during other times of sadness, anger, or worry, it’s common to put on a few pounds of Kummerspeck. What it means is the excess weight put on by emotional overeating. So when you find yourself on the couch watching “Bridget Jones’ Diary” with a tub of ice cream, you are in fact feeding your grief bacon.
04 Aug '17 11:12
useful foreign words
Back to Top