Off topic: Best Scandinavian Words (in my opinion) Thread poster: LingoTrust
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I wrote a blog post with the best Scandinavian words, that really can't be translated without losing some of its inherit meaning.
The top 5:
1. Fika: Essentially meaning ‘coffee and cake’, but don’t tell that to a Swede. In Sweden, fika is more meaningful than the individual components that make up this snack break.
2. Sisu: This word is inherently Finnish, meaning “to have both courage and perseverance in accepting defeat and quietly working towards a g... See more I wrote a blog post with the best Scandinavian words, that really can't be translated without losing some of its inherit meaning.
The top 5:
1. Fika: Essentially meaning ‘coffee and cake’, but don’t tell that to a Swede. In Sweden, fika is more meaningful than the individual components that make up this snack break.
2. Sisu: This word is inherently Finnish, meaning “to have both courage and perseverance in accepting defeat and quietly working towards a goal despite the adversities”.
3. Lagom: This Swedish word when translated into English will give you something close to ‘just right’. However, ‘just right’ would not be considered just right when it comes capturing the same meaning.
4. Hygge: Loosely translated, this Danish word means “complete absence of anything annoying, irritating or emotionally overwhelming, and the presence of and pleasure from comforting, gentle and soothing things”. Unless you must fill a word requirement, having a single word that encompasses all of that definitely helps.
5. Orka: Another Swedish word, this one meaning ‘to have the energy’. Which ironically, takes less energy to say than “have the energy”.
For the rest and to read more, please visit our post at: http://www.lackuna.com/2014/01/28/best-scandinavian-words-in-my-opinion/#AbrflqCWb7EZCetX.99 ▲ Collapse
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Lingua 5B 
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Local time: 01:56
Member (2009)
English to Croatian
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| I am familiar with "Hygge" | Jan 30, 2014 |
From what I know it must be the Danish equivalent of Zen (conceptually) lol
Orka just sounds like a whale : ). And it does have a powerful and energetic tone.
[Edited at 2014-01-30 20:59 GMT]
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Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 16:56
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
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| Word translation | Jan 30, 2014 |
Fortunately we rarely have to translate single words out of context.
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Giles Watson
Italy
Local time: 01:56
Italian to English
In memoriam | And I thought... | Jan 30, 2014 |
LingoTrust wrote:
The top 5:
1. Fika: Essentially meaning ‘coffee and cake’, but don’t tell that to a Swede. In Sweden, fika is more meaningful than the individual components that make up this snack break.
... that those nice Swedes I met on the plane had a remarkably colloquial knowledge of Italian 
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| Tak for sidst | Jan 30, 2014 |
Tak for sidst! is one of my favourite Danish expressions.
Literally 'Thanks for last (= last time we met).
This greeting, now slightly old-fashioned, is still used in passing by, or on occasions when you want to be polite, but really haven't time for the British equivalents like - How are you? - They might answer - or discussing the weather...
Of course it CAN be the introduction to another long an... See more Tak for sidst! is one of my favourite Danish expressions.
Literally 'Thanks for last (= last time we met).
This greeting, now slightly old-fashioned, is still used in passing by, or on occasions when you want to be polite, but really haven't time for the British equivalents like - How are you? - They might answer - or discussing the weather...
Of course it CAN be the introduction to another long and interesting conversation at the right time and place, but on other occasions, an equally brief 'Tak, og lige måde!'
(Thanks, likewise!) is quite sufficient.
Danes use orke too. (to take the trouble, or in the negative, 'det orker jeg ikke!' means anything from can't be bothered to 'Heaven give me strength!', again depending on the tone of voice.
Gider du? (Gide, find the energy, make the effort) is related, but subtly different.
It sometimes serves as 'please will you...?'
Gider du lige ...? = would you kindly ... ▲ Collapse
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Michele Fauble
United States
Local time: 16:56
Member (2006)
Norwegian to English
+ ...
| The Norwegian equivalents | Jan 31, 2014 |
Takk for sist!
Takk, og i like måte! (This one is unusual in that it is pronounced as the Danish 'lige måde' is spelled.)
orke, Det orker jeg ikke!
gidde, Gidder du?
[Edited at 2014-01-31 17:34 GMT]
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| more finnish | Mar 25, 2014 |
Hi,
nice list, I definitely agree with sisu.
Another one with no English equivalent:
myötähäpeä = shared sense of shame, or rather also the overwhelming shame you feel on someone else's behalf
...admittedly one reason why I can't tolerate watching a few so-called comedy movies, feeling too much myötähäpeä for some character's actions.
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Kay Denney
France
Local time: 01:56
French to English
LingoTrust wrote: The top 5: 1. Fika: Essentially meaning ‘coffee and cake’, but don’t tell that to a Swede. In Sweden, fika is more meaningful than the individual components that make up this snack break. 2. Sisu: This word is inherently Finnish, meaning “to have both courage and perseverance in accepting defeat and quietly working towards a goal despite the adversities”. 3. Lagom: This Swedish word when translated into English will give you something close to ‘just right’. However, ‘just right’ would not be considered just right when it comes capturing the same meaning. 4. Hygge: Loosely translated, this Danish word means “complete absence of anything annoying, irritating or emotionally overwhelming, and the presence of and pleasure from comforting, gentle and soothing things”. Unless you must fill a word requirement, having a single word that encompasses all of that definitely helps. 5. Orka: Another Swedish word, this one meaning ‘to have the energy’. Which ironically, takes less energy to say than “have the energy”. For the rest and to read more, please visit our post at: http://www.lackuna.com/2014/01/28/best-scandinavian-words-in-my-opinion/#AbrflqCWb7EZCetX.99
There are plenty of places that could use a bit of sisu, hygge and orka, add in some fika then everything would be just lagom!
My admiration for the Scandinavian spirit just scaled a new height!
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