Asking non-native English speakers.

  • quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    21 days ago

    In Spanish.
    Sobremesa, the period you stay at the table after lunch or dinner having a coffee or some drinks while chatting.

    Aprovechar, is basically the opposite of to waste. So depending on the context is to take advantage of something, to make the most of, make a good use, give a second use or reuse leftovers for something else.

    • kaosterra@sh.itjust.works
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      20 days ago

      Estrenar: to use/wear something brand new for the very first time. Sometimes when you are estrenando white shoes your classmates in school would try to step on them so they no longer look new.

    • ChunkMcHorkle@lemmy.world
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      20 days ago

      The old-school English word for aprovechar was “thrift” or being thrifty. These days I hear it used mostly in the specific sense of saving cash. I don’t often hear it much anymore in terms of conserving resources, but that is where it came from, and if you use it in that sense people will understand you.

      As for sobremesa, that’s not something I’ve enjoyed enough for it to have its own word, unfortunately.

    • CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org
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      19 days ago

      Sobremesa

      It’s weird there’s no English word for that, now that you point it out, since it’s a pretty common thing.

    • PixeIOrange@lemmy.world
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      20 days ago

      Came here for doch. Its one of my favourite words im using arguing with AFD voters and works every time its like a spell.

    • JonnyRobbie@lemmy.world
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      21 days ago

      That one is really interesting, because a lot of languages has it, from guten apetit, through dobrou chuť to itadakimasu. But english was out of school that day I suppose.

      • Lumidaub@feddit.org
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        21 days ago

        itsdakomasu

        Did you mean itadakimasu?

        Because that is what you say in Japanese when you start eating but interestingly it doesn’t mean “Guten Appetit” (basically “have a nice meal”) but “I am (thankfully) going to receive (a nice meal)”. While “Guten Appetit” is about others who are eating alongside you, “itadakimasu” is about the speaker.

        • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
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          19 days ago

          Wasn’t itadakimasu religious in origin? Making it something more like the prayer before the food that English-speaking Christians do - “Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive…”?

          • Lumidaub@feddit.org
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            19 days ago

            I wouldn’t know. The verb is itadaku which is a humble form of the verb morau, meaning “to receive”. The imasu part is basically just polite grammar. If there is anything religious about it, it’s obscure.

    • robador51@lemmy.ml
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      21 days ago

      Good appetite?

      Oh, looked it up, it’s not used in the same manner as German, i never knew 😃

  • robador51@lemmy.ml
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    21 days ago

    Gezellig in Dutch. Used to describe a situation that’s cosy and fun togetherness. Can also be used to describe a place that looks inviting (to have that good time in). I guess 😃

    • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
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      19 days ago

      Tja

      Isn’t that literally “oh, well”? And the intonation changes if thats empathy or schadenfreude.

      Curiously, schadenfreude does not translate to English well :)

  • unknownuserunknownlocation@kbin.earth
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    20 days ago

    German: Konjunktiv I and II. Most people first learning German will hear the Konjunktiv II in its usage similar to a subjunctive in english (“Wenn das so wäre” - “If it were that way”), but it does so much more. You can switch full sentences to the Konjunktiv II, but that immediately implies that you doubt the statement being presented. For instance, if you say “er hätte es vergessen”, you’re essentially saying “he allegedly forgot it, but I really doubt it”, just by using the Konjunktiv II.

    Then, there’s the Konjunktiv I, which is similar, but instead of voicing your disapproval, you’re staying completely neutral. Taking the example from before, it would be “er habe es vergessen”, with which you’re saying, “he allegedly forgot it, and I neither support nor disavow that statement” - again, all only with a change of verb form. It’s wonderful when you’re relaying something someone else said without adding your own evaluation.

    • Treczoks@lemmy.world
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      20 days ago

      I never thought to include German Konjunktiv in this list, but yes, you are right. It may not be a word or phrase, but it is in the spirit of this discussion.

  • neidu4@piefed.social
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    21 days ago

    Fjøs is where farm animals are kept. “Barn” is more general and translates to “Låve”, while Fjøs doesn’t really have an English translation.

    Nisse is a mythological creature that is part goblin, part santa, part Gnome, but not really either of them. They’re usually benign and pretty cool.

    Hygge (noun) /hyggelig (adjective) means having a cosy, lighthearted or fun atmosphere, usually in company of others

    EDIT: By the way, Nissen lives in the Låve

    • TheMadCodger@piefed.social
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      21 days ago

      Hygge became too popular so that’s started making it’s way into English. Hopefully that one sticks around. The pronunciation will never be correct though. Nisse sounds awesome though.

      What’s the difference between a Låve and a Fjøs?

      • neidu4@piefed.social
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        21 days ago

        Fjøs is specifically where animals are kept. Låve is more generic, but it’s usually where you store stuff such as hay and produce. Sometimes the two are combined into one building and It’s common to refer to the ground floor as Fjøs, and the floor above as Låve.

    • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
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      19 days ago

      Fjøs

      Animal pen or animal barn.

      Hygge

      That one I could never understand why Danish people think it’s not “safe and cozy”. Everytime they told me about hygge, or described it, etc, it was always safe and cozy. Like a damn Gryffindor common room.

      • neidu4@piefed.social
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        19 days ago

        Both of those translations require multiple words. And no, the gryffindor dining room is not hyggelig.

        Also, it’s not only in danish. Somehow the word became famous as a Danish word.

  • BeelzebubEiNukuKoskaan@piefed.social
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    20 days ago

    Sisu. Its a mix of courage, determination, resilience, keeping your nerve, doing a scary or difficult thing even though you know that odds of succeeding are low. Its also done quietly, no complaining or boasting about it. You can mutter some curse words quietly to yourself.

    Closest English word for it might be “guts” or “grit”. But those don’t really explain it completely.

    Finnish.

  • Jajcus@sh.itjust.works
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    20 days ago

    “Kombinować” very Polish word for a very Polish a activity/philosophy. To make things work / get something done / take care of something in way that work for us, but are not the expected way to do things (though, ‘kombinowanie’ is often actually expected). It might be doing a job using the tools that are available and not thise that should be used, it might be a genuine invention, It might be using your contacts for favour (like getting a doctor appointment), it might be plain cheating.

    A little bit like ‘hacking’ and also can be a good thing or a bad thing.

    “Wykombinuję coś” = “don’t worry I will take care of that” “Co za kombinator” = “what a cheaty bastard”

  • Hossenfeffer@feddit.uk
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    20 days ago

    Dreich - there is no direct English equivalent. It’s weather that’s wet and cold and dark and grey and unchanging. It can also mean depressing and tedious for obvious reasons.

  • EtnaAtsume@lemmy.world
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    20 days ago

    お疲れ様 (good job+“you look tired”+“I an acknowledging this and presenting recognition of your effort”)

    Keigo modifiers. ご覧 vs 見る. They both mean “look”. One is, somehow, more polite.

    Kansai dialect. しばいたろか (“wanna get smacked?” but it’s playful) or まいど (“thanks” but also “nice to see you again” and “hello” but only in specific contexts between specific people. Mess it up and you’ll probably hear the other Kansai term previously described.)

    • ThirdConsul@lemmy.zip
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      20 days ago

      I am having trouble understanding your point here. While cool info I think you might’ve misunderstood the assignment?

      お疲れ様

      Thank you for the effort? You look tired, must’ve been a hard day?

      This is the best example you have in your comment.

      Keigo modifiers

      Every language has more and less polite/formal ways to ask about something. “Where do you live” is less polite/formal than “where do you reside”.

      Kansai dialect

      I am not sure if dialects are words or concepts that dont translate well. The examples you used are more idiomatic rather than unique.

    • Hetare King@piefed.social
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      21 days ago

      It’s just the noun-form of the verb “kakeru”, in this context, to pour or splash a liquid, with the intensifier “bu” in front of it to suggest it’s done forcefully. Like in bukkake udon, where the broth is splashed onto the udon noodles.