Friluftsliv

Meaning: The philosophy and practice of spending time outdoors — not as exercise or sport, but as a way of living that restores the soul.

Language: Norwegian

Literally: open-air life

Category: Nature

Origin: Norwegian fri ('free') + luft ('air') + liv ('life'); coined by playwright Henrik Ibsen in 1859.

More untranslatable words — Nature

Uitwaaien — Going for a walk or bike ride in the wind specifically to clear your head — letting the b…
Shinrin-yoku — Immersing yourself in the atmosphere of a forest — soaking up its calm through all your s…
Waldeinsamkeit — The serene, faintly mystical feeling of being alone in the woods, at peace with nature.
Meriggiare — To take a quiet midday rest in a cool, shaded spot, escaping the fierce afternoon sun.
Komorebi — The dappled light that filters through leaves and scatters across the ground.
Wabi-sabi — Finding beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and the worn or incomplete.

Utepils — The specific pleasure of sitting outside in the sun and drinking a beer — a ritual that f…
Pålegg — Anything you might put on a slice of bread — cheese, ham, jam, egg, whatever — gathered u…
Forelsket — The overwhelming, almost dizzy euphoria of falling in love — that specific state of early…

Loading the full interactive collection…