Missing Words in English

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Instructions: Other languages have beautiful words for things English lacks a single word for. Can you match these untranslatable foreign words to their meanings?

1.
The German word 'Schadenfreude' describes what feeling that English has no single word for?
A
Homesickness
B
Pleasure from others' misfortune
C
Fear of the future
D
The joy of finishing work
2.
The Japanese word 'tsundoku' describes what common habit?
A
Collecting stamps
B
Buying books and never reading them
C
Eating while walking
D
Sleeping at your desk
3.
The Danish word 'hygge' refers to what concept that has no direct English equivalent?
A
Outdoor exercise
B
A cozy, convivial atmosphere
C
Extreme cleanliness
D
Eating alone
4.
The Finnish word 'sisu' describes what quality?
A
Musical talent
B
Love of nature
C
Skill at winter sports
D
Extraordinary determination and resilience
5.
The Portuguese word 'saudade' describes what feeling?
A
Anger at being forgotten
B
Fear of being alone
C
A deep longing or melancholic nostalgia for something absent
D
Joy at a reunion
6.
The Japanese word 'wabi-sabi' refers to what aesthetic concept?
A
Bright, bold colors
B
Finding beauty in imperfection and transience
C
Perfect symmetry
D
Minimalist design
7.
The Swedish word 'lagom' means what?
A
Extremely large
B
Just the right amount, not too much or too little
C
Very cold
D
Strictly organized
8.
The Italian phrase 'dolce far niente' translates as what?
A
Sweet dreams
B
A sweet dessert
C
The sweetness of doing nothing
D
Sweet talking
9.
The German word 'Wanderlust' (borrowed into English) originally meant what?
A
Love of nature
B
A hiking trail
C
Getting lost in the woods
D
A desire to travel or wander
10.
The Georgian word 'shemomedjamo' describes what situation?
A
Singing in the rain
B
Dancing at a wedding
C
Falling asleep at the table
D
Continuing to eat even when full because the food is so good
11.
The Yiddish word 'chutzpah' (borrowed into English) describes what quality?
A
Musical ability
B
Deep sadness
C
Great wisdom
D
Shameless audacity or nerve
12.
The French phrase 'l'esprit de l'escalier' refers to what common experience?
A
Getting dizzy from heights
B
Fear of stairs
C
The joy of climbing
D
Thinking of a perfect reply too late
13.
The Inuit word 'iktsuarpok' describes what action?
A
Ice fishing
B
Telling stories around a fire
C
Building a snow shelter
D
Repeatedly going outside to check if someone is coming
14.
The Welsh word 'hiraeth' is similar to 'saudade' and describes what?
A
Love of singing
B
A mountain landscape
C
A deep homesickness or longing for a home that may no longer exist
D
A rainy day mood
15.
The German word 'Torschlusspanik' literally means 'gate-closing panic' and describes what?
A
Panic in a crowd
B
Claustrophobia
C
Fear of being locked out
D
The fear that time is running out and opportunities are slipping away

Answer Key

Question 1

B. Pleasure from others' misfortune

Question 2

B. Buying books and never reading them

Question 3

B. A cozy, convivial atmosphere

Question 4

D. Extraordinary determination and resilience

Question 5

C. A deep longing or melancholic nostalgia for something absent

Question 6

B. Finding beauty in imperfection and transience

Question 7

B. Just the right amount, not too much or too little

Question 8

C. The sweetness of doing nothing

Question 9

D. A desire to travel or wander

Question 10

D. Continuing to eat even when full because the food is so good

Question 11

D. Shameless audacity or nerve

Question 12

D. Thinking of a perfect reply too late

Question 13

D. Repeatedly going outside to check if someone is coming

Question 14

C. A deep homesickness or longing for a home that may no longer exist

Question 15

D. The fear that time is running out and opportunities are slipping away

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