Every language has words that just describe a feeling, a state, a sound, or something completely different perfectly. So perfectly that it makes you wonder why those words don’t exist in every single language. But then again, that’s exactly what makes them so charming!
Danish definitely has an affinity for creative expressions when describing everyday things straight to the point. Keep reading to learn about 8 untranslatable Danish words that don’t exist in English, and why you need them in your life!
hygge
Coziness, relaxing, enjoying time in good company or alone
You have probably heard about this one, because it has gained worldwide popularity within the last couple years. So much so, that it has been officially decided that English needs this word: It has been accepted into the Oxford English Dictionary.
The charm of this word lies in that it describes a warm, cozy feeling or activity. It can go from spending a fun game night with friends to spending a day watching series and eating candy, going on a walk – basically anything that makes you feel relaxed and fulfilled! Bringing a good amount of hygge into your life is especially important during the cold and harsh winters in Scandinavia, which is probably part of the reason why this beautifully accurate word exists.
Example:
“Skal vi snart have en hyggeaften med film og snacks hjemme hos mig”?
Should we have a “hygge evening” with a movie and snacks at my house soon?
arbejdsglæde
Literally ”work joy”: enjoying what you’re doing at work, motivation to work.
In Danish work culture, it is important that working shouldn’t just be something people have to endure to survive, no matter what you do. Good working conditions and a good work-life balance play a key role, and workers have a voice thanks to things like flat hierarchies in the workplace as well as unions that ensure the rights of employees.
When all these things are fulfilled, it becomes possible to experience “arbejdsglæde”: feeling fun and joy doing your job!
Example:
“Jeg kan mærke, at mit arbejde bliver værdsat af mine chefer og kollegaer. Det giver mig rigtig meget arbejdsglæde.”
I can feel that my work is appreciated by my bosses and colleagues. That gives me a whole lot of “arbejdsglæde”.
træls
Frustrating, a nuisance, a pain in the a**, annoying. Mostly used in Jutland.
Life doesn’t always go to plan. Sometimes, it’s like one thing after the other just makes life harder. Like getting a flat tire on your way to work or having to commute to uni in a cramped bus. Your boss constantly nudging you to remind you of the piles of work you still have to do this week. The list is endless. To describe these kinds of things, this very useful word originated in Jutland has you covered.
Example:
“Min cykel punkterede i morges, så jeg blev nødt til at gå.” – “Ej, hvor træls!”
My bike tire got punctured this morning, so I had to walk. – Oof, how “træls”!
orke
Be able to handle, manage, put up with something.
And sometimes life is just a bit too much and you just don’t have the nerve for things. Maybe you’ve been working all day while listening to your extremely talkative (i.e. way too talkative) co-worker and all you want is to go home and spend some time on your own, but now everybody agreed to have an after-work beer. Great. But you’re not sure if you can put up another hour of listening to said co-worker. That’s where “orke” comes in handy.
Example:
“Jens snakkede om sin nye robotstøvsuger hele dagen i stedet for at lade mig arbejde, og nu skal vi alle sammen have fyraftensøl. Jeg ved ikke, om jeg orker det.”
Jens talked about his new robot vacuum cleaner all day instead of letting me work, and now we’re all going to have after-work beers. I don’t know if I “orke” that.
bagstiv
The state you’re in when you wake up after a night of drinking, still drunk and/or hungover.
Yes, this is a word to describe the feeling when you’ve had a little too much (or way too much) to drink, and then you wake up – and everything is still spinning. What a life.
Example:
“Jeg kan ikke huske, om jeg gjorde noget pinligt i fredags, men jeg var bagstiv da jeg vågnede tidligt lørdag morgen.”
I don’t remember if I did something embarassing last friday, but I was “bagstiv” when I woke up early saturday morning.
morgenfrisk
Literally translates to “morning fresh” – feeling fresh and well-rested in the morning.
After a good nights sleep, you wake up feeling refreshed. And the time you wake up is usually the morning. Put the two together – and you have the word to describe the exact state you’re in: “morning fresh”!
Example:
“Grunden til, at jeg altid er så morgenfrisk, er, at jeg går tidligt i seng og har en god aftenrutine.”
The reason why I’m always so “morgenfrisk” is that I go to bed early and have a good evening routine.
overskud
Extra energy, time, or resources in general.
“Overskud” can almost be understood as an umbrella term that describes whatever you have in excess for some extra work or activity. Maybe that after-work beer after a long day at work, or doing taxes when you get home after a busy day. Or taking three kids in their terrible twos on a trip to the zoo on your own.
Example:
“Skal vi bestille pizza i aften? Jeg har ikke overskud til at lave mad i dag.”
Should we order pizza tonight? I don’t have “overskud” to cook today.
Have fun using these untranslatable Danish words!
Now you’re all set to describe what English doesn’t have words for! Maybe your own language has words similar to these ones, too?
In any case, I hope that this article helps you spice up your everyday Danish or just gave you some fun insights into the language.
Are you learning Danish or planning to do so? Head over to Swap Language, where you can find context-based and entertaining video lessons for all levels – and soon you’ll know everything from untranslatable Danish words to translatable (and very useful) Danish phrases!
