Comments on: Ten Most Difficult Words to Translate

By: Krikri

Krikri — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:17:42 +0000

I must note that in Czech if you “prozvonit” someone it also means to agree. Usually if you get a text and are lazy or do not want to spend money on texting back, then if the answer would be simply “ok” you just “prozvonit”.

By: Jirka

Jirka — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:23:58 +0000

I’m surprised nobody suggested ‘page’ (as a verb) here for the Czech word ‘prozvonit’…

By: David

David — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 22:40:33 +0000

In czech we have many interesting words, which are sometimes truly hard to translate, ie. the longest czech word: nejneobhospoda%u0159ov�vateln%u011Bj%u0161�mi, which means roughly this: “(amongst)the least capable to be administrated”. Another gem is “tunelovat”, which is homonym of “to tunnel” in both languages, but it means “to siphon off funds from sth.”

By: soca

soca — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:09:40 +0000

Does anyone know the dutch word for prozvonit?

By: Peter Dr�xler

Peter Dr�xler — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:20:42 +0000

Goto ‘prezvonit’

By: Peter Dr�xler

Peter Dr�xler — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:18:38 +0000

I am from Slovak Republic. ‘prozvonit’ is in slovak ‘prezvoni%u0165′.

By: Certified Russian translation

Certified Russian translation — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:24:58 +0000

interesting list!this words r truely very tough to translate.

By: %u5446

%u5446 — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 04:32:22 +0000

Coziness and longing are definitely the most untranslatable words. They are untranslatable in all languages.

prozvonit = ping
bakku-shan = butterface

By: firefliet

firefliet — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:43:21 +0000

Japanese “Bakku-shan,” someone (usually a girl, I don’t think I’ve heard it applied to a man) who looks really good from behind but is ugly when they turn around.

By: Les

Les — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:26:01 +0000

Gezelligheid.

The Dutch word “Gezelligheid” [is] a combination of coziness and conviviality.
One of the most stereotypical and possibly overused words in Nederlands is gezelligheid.
Despite its over-use, however, the word remains far from banal. Gezelligheid refers to the warmth one feels in the comfort of one’s own space and the company of close friends and acquaintances — a flush feeling of trust, security, and safety in the midst of a teeming larger society. Indeed, the Netherlands and Belgium are among the most densely populated states in the developed world and periodic enjoyment of gezelligheid is a key to sanity and survival. As distinct from the rugged individualism that many Americans claim to aspire to, Gezelligheid involves a retreat into immediate community rather than into monadic self-sufficiency. In gezelligheid, one transcends self by momentarily being part of a group of one’s choosing. Because the Netherlands is not only communal society but also a very successful commercial one as well, most Dutch-speakers know that all things have a price. The price of gezelligheid is continuous compromise, avoidance of conflict, and the acceptance of the presence and manifest self-interest of others.