Knowing how to say “beautiful” in different languages offers a glimpse into diverse cultures and enriches your vocabulary with unique expressions of beauty. From the Spanish “hermoso” to the Japanese “utsukushii,” each word carries its own charm and cultural significance.
From a word to describe a warm feeling in your tummy to a phrase meant to emphasize beauty, the beautiful foreign words you’ll find in this list capture emotions that can’t be translated into English. Let’s take a trip around the world and discover the beautiful words across continents, uncovering their meanings and origins.
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Beautiful Words In Different Languages You Need To Know
Let’s take a look at some of the most beautiful words in different languages that you may have never heard before.
1. Sobremesa (Spanish)
Do you know that time spent at the dinner table chatting with your friends and family after a meal or drinks? The table is covered with clean plates, dirty napkins, and cups that constantly need to be topped off, but everyone’s still hanging around. Sobremesa is a Spanish word that describes exactly that.
2. 분위기 “Boon Wee Gi” (Korean)
This word in Korean refers to the atmosphere of a location but in a deep way. If someone asks what the boon wee gi of a place is like, you can bet they’re asking about the vibe and emotions connected to the specific setting. For Koreans, this word shows how much decor and the people in a location add to the ambiance.
3. Mångata (Swedish)
Mångata is a word that describes the image of the moon’s reflection skating over water. Specifically, it refers to the wavy ripple and road of light that appears across the water, almost making it look like you can walk on it.
4. Abbiocco (Italian)
That sleepy feeling you get after you finish a big meal? That’s abbiocco! This word can be translated in English as a “food coma” but the Italian version sounds more gentle, describing a comfortably full feeling of satisfaction.
5. Saudade (Portuguese)
Saudade is one of those beautiful words that you wish could be directly translated into other languages. This Brazilian Portuguese word describes the melancholic feeling associated with longing or yearning for something that has come and gone. The bittersweet and empty feeling this word carries is potent, and you can read more about it in this beautiful article.
6. Hygge (Danish)
The warm feeling that brings comfort or a cozy sense to your soul, like if you imagine yourself bundled up in a fuzzy sweater with your loved ones around a crackling campfire: that’s hygge.
7. Gigil (Tagalog)
In the Philippines’ own Tagalog, this word is meant to describe that overwhelming feeling of seeing something cute, just like when you’re thinking of a video of puppies playing with each other and their little yelps. Aww, gigil!
8. Friolento/a (Spanish)
Do you know someone who is always wearing a sweater or has to keep the thermostat in the house at a warm temperature at all times? The Spanish word friolento/a is an adjective that can describe a person who is sensitive to cold weather.
9.Tоска (Russian)
This Russian word (which is pronounced “toska”) can be roughly translated as the feeling of sadness or mourning, though the English language doesn’t quite do this word justice. It’s more like an overwhelming feeling of a vague restlessness of the soul where you just aren’t sure what’s missing.
10. Merak (Serbian)
Merak is about a simple act that can express a feeling of bliss. All about the simple pleasures, this word takes the tiny things into account, like when you spend time with your loved ones reminiscing on the good old days or have your morning cup of coffee.
11. Forelsket (Norwegian)
This Norwegian word describes the pure, euphoric feeling you get when you’re falling in love. Forelsket can be compared to the emotion of feeling something bubbly, like butterflies in the pit of your stomach, when you realize your crush has been watching you from across the room or randomly finding twenty bucks in your pocket.
12. L’esprit de l’escalier (French)
By saying this, you’re encapsulating the annoying feeling of when you think of the perfect comeback to say but you’re a little too late. In French, this phrase literally translated means “wit of the staircase” which is trying to say that your clever thinking kicks in only when you’re on your way out (like when you’re using the stairs to leave.) Of the beautiful words in different languages in this list, this one sounds sweeter than it actually is!
13. Wabi-Sabi (Japanese)
To wabi-sabi something is to find the beauty in the imperfections. We should all take notes from the Japanese and celebrate our differences, flaws, and all!
14. Sisu (Finnish)
This Finnish word describes the unwavering relentlessness that someone might have to overcome a challenging situation or obstacle. Think of a classic superhero story where their inner strength and determination kick into high gear to get over that hump in the middle of the movie. That’s sisu!
15. Ya’aburnee (Arabic)
Ya’aburnee means “you bury me” in Arabic and is used as an intense declaration of love. This is an expression of the inexpressible, romantic feeling one gets that says you just can’t imagine living in a world without that other person.
How Do You Say Beautiful In 9 Different Languages?
We’ve gone through beautiful words in different languages, but what about the word beautiful itself? Let’s find out!
- Japanese- Utsukushii (美しい)
- Spanish-Bello/a–Hermoso/a
- Punjabi – Sundar
- Romanian – Frumos
- Latvian – Skaista (feminine)-Skaists (masculine)
- Turkish – Güzel
- Slovak – Krásna (feminine)-Krásny (masculine)
- German-Schön
- Portuguese: Bela
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Is A Deeper Word For Beautiful?
Admirable, bewitching, classy, angelic, comely, divine, enticing, excellent, fair, foxy, ideal, nice, pulchritudinous, radiant, ravishing, refined, resplendent.
2. Which Language Has The Most Beautiful Words?
With over 6,900 distinct languages spoken in the world, who can say which languages host the most beautiful words? The answer can vary depending on the languages you speak and can recognize. Usually, folks can agree that the “Romance” languages sound the most pleasing, the most commonly spoken ones being Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Romanian.
What are the Romance languages? For starters, it’s one of the largest language groups that actually has nothing to do with hearts and an arrow-shooting Cupid. The name comes from the fact that these languages are derived from Vulgar Latin, which was spoken by ancient Romans.
3. What Is The Most Beautiful Sounding English Word?
Sure, there are beautiful words in different languages, but what about English? Of course, English has some of its own!
With over a million words in the English language, who has time to comb through English dictionaries to find the most beautiful words? (I do!) Here’s a short list of a few of the phonetic gems in this language.
- Serendipity – When events happen by chance in a positive or beneficial way.
- Equinox – A time when day and night are approximately equal in length (twice a year) when the sun crosses the celestial equator.
- Bubble – tiny sphere of liquid enclosing gases.
- Splendor – Magnificent in appearance.
- Whimsical – Playfully imaginative or unusual.
- Aurora – Early morning dawn.
- Euphoria – A feeling or state of intense desire, excitement, and happiness.
- Utopia – An imagined place where everything is perfect.
Discover More Beautiful Words
Now that we’ve discussed a bunch of beautiful words in different languages, are you curious about what other words defy English translation? We barely scratched the surface of the beautiful words in the world’s vocabulary, so it’s impossible to list them all in this one tiny post!
Guess what? By learning a new language, you can discover more magical words on your own! In case you’re curious, the Ling app can definitely help you get started right away. I’m sure you’ll have a lot of fun and be amazed by all the words you can discover!
Until next time!
