Fredagsmys

Meaning: The Friday-night ritual of soft clothes, snacks and television with the people you live with.

Language: Swedish

Literally: Friday cosiness

Category: Social

Origin: Swedish fredag ('Friday') + mys ('cosiness'); in the press from 1994 and in the Academy's dictionary about a decade later.

More untranslatable words — Social

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Yurodivy — One who plays the fool deliberately as a religious act, and is therefore licensed to spea…
Beloruchka — Someone who dodges dirty or hard work — a person whose hands stay conspicuously clean.
Amae — The comfortable feeling of depending on another's goodwill — leaning into someone's indul…
Fremdschämen — The vicarious embarrassment you feel for someone who is doing something cringeworthy — ev…
Drachenfutter — A peace-offering gift brought home to a partner after staying out too late or doing somet…

Gökotta — Rising at first light for no reason but to go outside and hear the birds sing.
Mångata — The shimmering, road-like reflection the moon casts across water.
Resfeber — The mix of nervous excitement and anticipatory anxiety you feel before a journey — your h…
Lagom — Not too much, not too little — perfectly moderate, appropriate, and balanced. A cultural…
Fika — A ritual pause in the day — coffee, something sweet, good company — that is more about co…
Orka — To have the energy or will for something. Jag orkar inte carries the whole of 'I can't fa…

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