LANGUAGE | GERMAN | VOCABULARY
Great German Words That Have no English Equivalent
10 wonderful words from the German language without a one-word English counterpart
One of my favourite things about learning German (and any other language) is coming across the beautiful occurrences of words that simply do not have a direct translation in the English language. These ones below sum up my absolute favourites. A handful of them have indeed made their way into the English language, but their origins lie in German language and culture. Do you already use some of them? And if not, why not start trying some of them out?
Gemütlichkeit
A feeling of warmth, coziness, and friendliness.
Doesn’t this connote a warm sense of well-being and belonging, just by saying it out loud? Often associated with a comfortable, relaxed, and welcoming atmosphere, gemütlichkeit can also be associated with activities such as spending time with friends and family, enjoying good food and drink, and being in a cosy environment like a snug living room. It can even be used to refer to a state of mind that is characterised by feelings of contentment, ease, and comfort.
