Ten foreign words that don’t translate so well into English
Pizan Zapra (Malay): Def. The time it takes to eat a banana.
Schadenfreude (German): Def. Pleasure resulting from someone’s pain or misfortune.
Gigil (Filipino): Def. The urge to pinch or squeeze something cute.
Bakku Shan (Japanese): A girl who appears to be pretty from behind but is not from the front.
Pena Ajena (Mexican Spanish): Def. The embarrassment you feel watching someone else’s humiliation
Waldeinsamkeit (German): Def. the feeling of being alone in the woods
Jayus (Indonesian): Def. the awkward humor behind a joke delivered so badly that you can’t help but laugh
Age-otori (Japanese): Def. Looking worse after a haircut than before.
L’esprit de l’escalier (French): Def. The feeling you get when you think of a smart repartee but its too late.
Backpfeifengesicht (German): Def. A face that cries for a fist.
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Can you think of any Arabic words that don’t translate well into English?
Send them to editorial@tempoplanet.com
By Ayman Bukair
