10 Beautiful Words About Love That Does Not Exist In English

When I read this, I thought each word captured the most beautiful emotions of the human condition.

Came across this urbandud post from a lovely friend, singer Emma Wallace.

1. Mamihlapinatapei (Yagan, an indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego): The wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to start.

2. Yuanfen(Chinese): A relationship by fate or destiny. This is a complex concept. It draws on principles of predetermination in Chinese culture, which dictate relationships, encounters and affinities, mostly among lovers and friends.

3. Cafuné(Brazilian Portuguese): The act of tenderly running your fingers through someone’s hair.

4. Retrouvailles (French):  The happiness of meeting again after a long time.

5. Ilunga (Bantu): A person who is willing to forgive abuse the first time; tolerate it the second time, but never a third time.

6. La Douleur Exquise(French): The heart-wrenching pain of wanting someone you can’t have.

7. Koi No Yokan (Japanese): The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall into love.

8. Ya’aburnee(Arabic): “You bury me.” It’s a declaration of one’s hope that they’ll die before another person, because of how difficult it would be to live without them.

9. Forelsket: (Norwegian):  The euphoria you experience when you’re first falling in love.

10. Saudade (Portuguese): The feeling of longing for someone that you love and is lost. Another linguist describes it as a “vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist.”