Untranslatable wordEmotionFrench

Spleen

Meaning: A deep, existential ennui — a heavy, formless sadness and disgust with the world and oneself that no distraction can lift.

Literally: Spleen / melancholy

Origin: French; immortalised by Charles Baudelaire in Les Fleurs du Mal (1857); darker than simple boredom.

More untranslatable words — Emotion

  • Épanouissement The full flourishing of a person — blooming into your most complete, radiant self. More t…
  • Razliubit To fall out of love — the process of ceasing to love someone you once loved, leaving behi…
  • Kilig The butterflies-and-shivers feeling of romantic excitement — the giddiness triggered by a…
  • Tampo Pulling back your warmth and affection when you've been hurt — going quiet and distant, h…
  • Avos' A blind, hopeful trust that things will somehow work out on their own — leaving the outco…
  • Vergüenza ajena The squirming embarrassment felt on behalf of another person, who may be entirely untroub…

More French untranslatable words

  • Ressourcement The act of returning to one's roots or origins to find renewal — going back to a place, t…
  • Dépaysement The disorienting yet often pleasant feeling of being far from home, immersed in the unfam…
  • Flâner To wander a city slowly and aimlessly, savouring it with no destination in mind — the art…
  • Retrouvailles The joy of reuniting with someone after a long time apart.
  • L'esprit de l'escalier Thinking of the perfect comeback only after the moment has passed — on your way down the…
  • Terroir The unique character that a place — its soil, climate and tradition — gives to a wine or…

Explore another collection: False Friends

Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.

  • Location Actually means 'rental'. Une location de voiture = a car rental. For location (place), sa…
  • Assister Actually means 'to attend' an event. J'assiste à la réunion = I attend the meeting. For a…
  • Phrase Actually means 'sentence'. For a short phrase or expression, say une expression.

Browse all false friends →

Keep exploring

Explore all untranslatable words →