things from sappho to call your girlfriend

ἀστέρων πάντων ὀ κάλλιστος (of all the stars, the fairest)

πόλυ πάκτιδος ἀδυμελεστέρα, χρύσω χρυσοτέρα (far sweeter-sounding than the lyre, far more golden than gold)

τὰν ἰόκολπον (violet-tressed, one with violets in her lap)

ὦ κάλα, ὦ χαρίεσσα κόρα (o beautiful, graceful girl)

ἦρος ἄγγελος ἰμερόφωνος ἀήδων (nightingale, sweet-voiced messenger of spring)

a list of untranslatable words ☕️

cafunébrazilian portuguese: the act of running one’s fingers, gently but deeply, through someone else’s hair
積ん読 (tsundoku) japanese: the act of leaving a book unread after buying it, typically piled up together with other such unread books

木漏れ日 (komorebi) japanese: sunlight filtering through the trees


mångata swedish: the roadlike reflection of moonlight on water

verklempt yiddish: a person who is too emotional to speak


liefdesverdriet dutch: the heartache caused from an unrequited love and the mental pains one endures; the physical pain of depression


fika swedish/finnish: gathering together to talk and take a
break from everyday routines, usually drinking coffee and eating
pastries


幽玄 (yūgen) japanese: an indescribable sentiment, can only be
described as a painful awareness of the mysterious beauty and human
suffering


l’esprit de l’escalier french: the moment one finally thinks of a witty remark, far too late, after the opportunity has passed


kilig – tagalog: the feeling of butterflies in your stomach, usually when something romantic or cute takes place
いるす

(irusu) japanese: pretending to be absent from home when someone is at the door


habseligkeiten german: personal belongings, small treasures and property, which define our happiness and sentiments


nefelibataportuguese: cloud walker; name given to the quixotic dreamers, they appear spacey, otherworldly, but intelligent


σοφρωσύνη (sophrosyne) greek: self-control, balance, wisdom & grace;virtue that follows the aphorisms “nothing in excess” & “know thyself"


hiraethwelsh: homesickness for a place which never even existed.
Connotations of sadness, yearning, profound nostalgia and wistfulness


torpe tagalog: being too shy to pursue amorous desires


waldeinsamkeitgerman: the feeling of being alone in the woods


litost czech: the humiliated despair we feel when someone accidentally reminds us, trough their accomplishment, of our inadequacies


dustsceawung old english: contemplation of the fact that dust used to be other things – the walls of a city, a book, a great tree…

duendespanish: the spirit of evocation; the mysterious power a work of art has to deeply move a person


gattara italian: a woman, often old and lonely, who devotes herself to stray cats

tоска russian: a sensation of great spiritual anguish, often
without any specific cause, a longing with nothing to long for,
nostalgia


φιλότιμο (philotimo) greek: a complex array of virtues; expressed through acts of generosity & sacrifice w/o expecting anything in return
gezellig
dutch: abstract sensation of individual well-being that one shares with
others;cozy ambience, anything pleasant, homely, friendly