According to estimates from Ethnologue, a research center for language intelligence, roughly 1.528 billion people speak English around the world, making it the most widely spoken language, followed by Mandarin Chinese (1.184 billion), Hindi (609 million), Spanish (559 million), and Arabic (335 million).
That means that about 19% — or 1 in 5 — of the global population are English speakers. However, popularity doesn’t it's the "best." (How could someone even quantify the quality of a language?) In fact, a recent discussion among bilingual Reddit users highlighted how many vivid, culturally rich, and deeply evocative words exist in other languages that simply have no direct equivalent in English. These words often express feelings, experiences, or social nuances that English speakers can only describe with a full phrase — if at all.
#1 Mood Weight Gains, Literally
Kummerspeck ... Grief (or worry) bacon. It's the weight you gain from emotional eating.
I also like Backpfeifengesicht ... It's a face just asking to be slapped.
Image credits: Frau-Pfau
#2 When Saying Goodbye Hurts Forever
Irish. Beochaoineadh. Literally “alive crying”. It means a lament for those who still live but you know you may never see them again or is otherwise lost to you in a permanent, painful and irreversible way.
When you consider we’re a nation of people who have a history of leaving our loved ones behind in a desperate search for something better, it makes sense we have such a word.
#3 Mom Level: Unbothered and Unshakable
“Alcahueta” - I learned that from my Colombian husband. It refers to an enabling mom who can see no wrong in their son, who is perfect in their eyes. I use it often when gossiping about relatives 🤣.
#4 Existential Family Tree Problems
A Filipina lady said "I was talking to my..." and stopped and asked me what the English word is for a parent of the person your kid married--the parent of your son or daughter in law. It's a relationship that we have no word for.
Image credits: OlyScott
#5 Bonus Round: Chatting Calories Don’t Count
Sobremesa, it's the period of time you stay seated at the table talking after you're done eating.
Image credits: sapphicor
#6 Sort Yourself, Honestly
A beautiful expression we have in Italian is "arrangiati". There do exist turns of phrases in English that mean more or less the same thing, e.g. "do it yourself" or "you're on your own", but "arrangiati" is the imperative and reflexive of "arrangiare" (to organise, arrange, make do, manage) - basically "sort yourself". However, arrangiati has the same heft and directness, and general sentiment, of basically telling someone to go f**k themselves. No direct English translation leaves me satisfied as telling someone "arrangiati!" does.
Another one that comes to mind is "abbiocco", which is the drowsiness you get after a big meal. It is a tiredness and brain fog exclusively associated with a full belly. Very useful in Italy.
Image credits: exhausted_wombat
#7 Energy Vampire Alert
In French, calling someone a “fatigant” .. someone who sucks the energy out of you.
#8 Where’s Our Casual “Yay” Move?
Finnish language is famous for "kalsarikännit" (getting drunk in your underwear), so I wasn't surprised it doesn't exist in English. But I was gobsmacked when I found out English has no casual word for "tuuletus/tuulettaminen" (a gesture for "yay!!!" or "wooo!!"). They just call it "goal celebration" or celebrating... Seems wild.
Image credits: republicofrhubarb
#9 Finally, a word for play vibes you actually get
Swedish: Lek (unstructured play or game) and spel (structured play or game).
For example a tug or war with my dog is lek, while monopoly is spel.
I do game design and while i can talk about structured and unstructured play i cant do so effortlessly with people knowing exactly what I mean.
Image credits: elindalstal
#10 Name twins, but make it personal
Tocayo/tocaya is a person who shares your first name. I like it because my name is not that common, so I can say “hola, tocaya!” when I notice another one of us :).
#11 French Hitting Us with That Fancy Circumlocution
I got a reverse one; I speak french and we don’t have a word for “Cheap” isn’t that crazy? Such a simple word. We just say not expensive or affordable.
#12 Just enough, not too many
Lagom. It means "the right amount" so "how many cookies do you want?" "lagom."
#13 That Hurt... But In A Good Way
痛快 (tong kuai) is something you say when something hurts but it feels good in Mandarin, like a super deep massage. It means happy pain :).
#14 Too Rich to Even Care
Vaska (Swedish) = it means pouring something down the "vask" (kitchen sink). usually something expensive, for bragging rights, to show you are rich. you can say vaska about anything you destroy to show you are too rich to care. like, "im gonna vaska this car. god im so rich.".
Image credits: Konkuriito
#15 Big Cuñado Energy
A new Spanish word that has become popular in recent years is *"cuñadismo"* (brother-in-law-ism) that means the opinions given by a know-it-all, like your BIL, that knows a faster way, knows a cheapest and better product, knows how to solve the problems of the world in one day...
Certain president is very adept to say cuñadismos.
#16 English, Where’s Your Heat Game?
Spanish has caliente and piquante for hot food, meaning two different types of heat. I wish English had that.
Image credits: dogmeat12358
#17 Mastering the polite awkward pause
Korean 눈치 (noon-chi)! it means the ability to notice other people’s subtle emotions or thoughts. for example, if someone kept talking about something that clearly bores the other person who is too polite to leave the conversation, you’d that that person doesn’t have noon-chi, or the ability to notice (that they want to talk about something else).
Image credits: GoodEnvironmental788
#18 Waiting, Hoping—Same Word, Different Vibes
On the other hand, Esperar. Means both to wait and to hope, in Spanish. I guess the context helps, but in English we definitely use them in very different circumstances.
#19 That’s a mood, honestly
Schadenfreude..🇩🇪.. Rejoicing 😃 in someone else's misfortune 😔..
#20 Ice Bath or Nah?
Otužovat se = getting your body used to cold temperatures in order to be healthy.
#21 When Pride Gets Complicated
In French we have 2 words for "pride".
*Fierté* is the usually the pride you feel in your accomplishments or those of someone you like.
*Orgueil* is the pride you feel about who you are. It not as superficial as vanity but often has negative connotations.
Your wealthy boss shares his *fierté* about the money he's made. But *orgueil* will forever keep him from seeing his employees as an equal.
#22 When language keeps it extra clear
Lithuanian has two distinct words for law as in laws of physics, and law as in codex. We don't need to clarify if breaking a law is illegal, or impossible. Feels like a given to have!
#23 Just Wandering, Not Lost
Flâner
That's when you stroll aimlessly through a city, just enjoying the surroundings without a set destination.
#24 When Snacking Becomes a Stretch of Silence
口寂しい 'Kuchisabishii' - Lonely Mouth, it's stress or boredom eating. Eating out of habit? or chewing on something to have something to do.
#25 Mastering the “Get It Done” Vibe
In Polish - załatwić. It basically means to get something done, don’t ask me how.
#26 Smells Bad, Feels Good
Chulé - bad foot odor
Cafuné - running your fingers through someone's scalp affectionately
Portuguese.
Image credits: um--no
#27 Words That Carry Whole Worlds
Considering my language predates all European languages every being spoken in America; In Lakota (Sioux Nation) there are many words and phrases that, while technically have translation to a point, dont embody the cultural or spiritual implications of them in English. So Šúŋkawakȟáŋ would roughly translate to "Spirit Dog" but is a phrase that describes horses in the context of their impact on our people and their spiritual significance. It doesn't just mean "a horse." There are also MANY different ways and accompanying words/phrases that can accompany it that would change the implication of the words.
Another example would be Makȟá. The direct translation would be the earth but also means the soil, nature, the spirit of the earth and the creator spirit. Variations of its use would be Makȟáta: to be on the Earth or in nature. Makhíthma: to be in or one with the Earth/nature/the spirit of the creator. Or Uŋčí Makȟá which is used more strictly for ceremonial purposes.
#28 Why English is still figuring out a gender swap
For me it's surprising that words "friend" and "cousin" don't have a gender. So you have to say "female friend/male cousin" instead of using a single word that exist in many languages (e.g. italian amico/amica, cugino/cugina etc).
#29 Family tree just got spicy
In English, aunt/uncle are general terms that don't specify whether the person is from the mother’s side or the father’s side but in Arabic we have 2 different words for that.
Mother's side : Khal/Khala
Father's side: Amm/Amma.
#30 Wait, English missed a spot here?
There are two in Turkish:
1- Kaçıncı. The question word for order. If I can make up a english translation it would be “how manieth”. e.g. q: “Kaçıncı” president of United States is Obama? a: 44th. Can be expressed as “which place” if you’re talking about a competition.
2- Yok. Opposite of “exist”. In english, you have to say “doesn’t exist”.
#31 Soulful hugs only
Apapachar, to hug with all your soul.
#32 Snack hacks for the open road
Padkos. An Afrikaans word that literally translates to “road food” aka road trip food. The closest English translation is “provisions” but it’s not quite as specific.
#33 That Moment When Words Just Say It All
Eish. Word used as exclamation in South Africa to express a variety of feelings such as surprise, disgust, disappointment, fear, impatience, etc. Example: “Eish! My team lost the game” or “Eish… my manager asked me to work overtime”.
#34 The Ultimate Comeback Word
In German there's the "Doch"It's a word that means "nuh-uh". But it carries such power when being used. You can totally shut down someone's argument with just that word.
#35 Cold? Yep, That’s Me
Friolento! (Friolero in other regions I believe) I'm a persona friolenta myself (Friolento means somebody that's too affected By the cold weather or it's constantly feeling cold).
#36 That Word Hits Different
Portuguese- “saudade” . A feeling of homesickness for something.
#37 Waiting for the rain to decide
"Uppehåll" in Swedish. Basically it means "right at this moment it is not raining" and I havent found and equivalent word in English yet.
#38 Malpasar: The Hangry Kid’s Warning
In Mexico we use malpasar to indicate that we've skipped or missed a meal. My mother would always be like "Niño! No te vayas a malpasar porque no hay nada que comer en la casa" to make sure I'd eat at school before coming home cuz my parents worked late.
#39 “Later” but Make It French
In french we have "tout à l'heure", the closest meaning is"later" but with a nuance.
While later mean a moment after, it does not tell when or even if it will happened. Meanwhile, "tout à l'heure " means a moment later, soon and is already planned.
When you tell people you are going to do something for example, using this variation is telling that you have a moment planned for that already, while later (tranlated "plus tard") means you will not do it now but later with no idea when or even if you'll ever do it.
I don't know if it was clear but it's frustrating when talking in English because it's hard to find other way to tell it easily when I am used to a simple phrase.
#40 A Whole “Dygn” Vibe
Dygn (Swedish), it's a 24-hour span of time (and far less ambiguous than a day).
Image credits: ABlindMoose
#41 Specific Enough to Skip the Awkward Intro
In Punjabi we have names for almost every relationship you can imagine. For example, dad's older brothers wife is "Tha-ee" or your husband's sisters husband "nandoi" - it's kinda cool, because you always know who the person is referring to without having to explain.
#42 New Clothes, New Vibes
Estrenar, Spanish.
The closest word in English would be to debut, but it very specifically refers to a new outfit or article of clothing.
#43 Spice Up Your Quotes, Malagasy Style
Don’t know how to spell it but it’s pronounced “hoon” It’s a Malagasy word for he/she said but it implies that you’re giving the direct quote of what someone just said. More useful than just saying “he said”.
#44 When English just can’t do it justice
In Hungarian, we have the word **igénytelen**, which doesn’t have a perfect equivalent in English. It can describe a person who has low standards, a shabby appearance, poor-quality work, or someone who simply doesn't care to put in effort - depending on context. English has words like sloppy, undemanding, or shoddy, but none of them fully capture the layered, often judgmental tone igénytelen carries.
Also, we have two everyday words for "red": **piros** and **vörös**. Piros is a brighter, more playful red, while vörös is deeper, darker, and often used in formal or dramatic contexts - like blood, wine, or political symbolism. This distinction is unique in how widely it's used; most languages (like English) just say red and rely on modifiers. A few others (like Japanese or Korean) have poetic or specific terms for deep red, but Hungarian is rare in having two distinct, commonly used base words.
Adding to these, Hungarian also has **bezzeg**, a word that English speakers often find baffling. It's an adverb used to draw a sharp, often resentful or ironic, contrast. Imagine someone complaining, "I had to wait for hours, bezzeg he got in immediately!" English might use "but of course," "wouldn't you know it," or "mind you," but bezzeg crams a whole lot more into one word - there's often a hint of envy, a sense of injustice, or a smug "see, I told you so." It’s the linguistic equivalent of an emphatic, knowing sigh about the unfair (or predictably preferential) way things work for others compared to oneself or a previous, more ideal situation.
Then there's **hiányérzet**, a noun for which English lacks a single direct counterpart. It describes that distinct, often nagging and melancholic feeling that something specific is missing, a palpable sense of absence or incompleteness. You might say "a feeling of lack" or "a sense of longing for something absent," but hiányérzet pinpoints the specific emotional state of recognizing and being troubled by a void, whether it's a person, an opportunity, a sense of belonging, or even just an unnamed something that should be there. It’s more profound than just "missing something"; it's the awareness and feeling of the gap itself.
And let’s not forget **tutyimutyi**, a delightfully expressive term for a certain type of person. A tutyimutyi is generally a weak-willed, ineffectual, perhaps somewhat clueless individual, often seen as mollycoddled and lacking initiative or backbone. English words like "wimp," "milksop," "doormat," or "nebbish" get close to some aspects. However, tutyimutyi uniquely blends a sense of pity with exasperation, and sometimes even a touch of dismissive affection. It’s not necessarily a harsh insult; it often describes someone almost endearingly useless or frustratingly passive, a specific archetype that the single English terms don't quite capture in their full, culturally understood flavour.
Edit: style.
#45 That Respect-But-Not-Shy Energy
In indonesian we have "segan", which is an unwillingness to do something, but that unwillingness is driven by respect. segan is not reluctance, it is not timidity, it is not shyness, it is not awkward. it's kind of recognizing that you are bound by social hierarchical obligations/expectations and can't say or do what you want. like not telling the boss he's wrong, not challenging your elderly mother.
i guess this would map well to japanese. in indonesia, segan comes from javanese , which has rigid social stratification hard coded in the language.
what a great question, thanks mate!
#46 That moment when English just can’t keep up
What really surprised me is that it appears there is no English word for German "satt". When you're not hungry any more, you are satt. In English, you usually say that you are "full", but that's not the same thing! Full means you cannot eat any more for lack of space, "satt" means you don't *want* to eat any more.
Also, "verdursten", dying from lack of water. When you die from lack of food, you starve, but what do you call it when someone dies from not getting enough water? "The desert researcher died from dehydration"?
#47 Cheering, Not Gloating—Finally!
In Hebrew we have a word לפרגן le-far-gen
Which roughly means the opposite of gloating, as in being happy and cheering for someone who is happy and being supportive. In English I refer to this as being a "woo girl".
#48 That awkward \"what-now\" week after Christmas
Romjul (Norwegian) = the period between the end of Xmas and the new year.
#49 When Words Leave You Hanging
I constantly reach for “préciser” and fail to find an exact equivalent in English. It doesn’t quite mean “specify” or “detail”.
#50 “Pronouns That Play Mind Games”
Not bilingual, but Mandarin Chinese has an 'us but not you lot' pronoun which is rather useful.
