[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/untranslatable/)

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# untranslatable

adjective (untranslatable)

«untranslatable» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

Untranslatable describes a word or phrase that has no exact match in another language, so it cannot be translated easily without a long explanation or losing some meaning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/#m1)

### In the lessons

In language lessons, French, Mandarin and Ukrainian classes and lessons on jokes and wordplay, pupils learn that some words, puns and jokes are untranslatable: the meaning can be explained, but the fun or feeling may be lost. Famous examples are Danish «hygge» (cosy togetherness) or Portuguese «saudade» (a sad longing). Phrases: untranslatable word, almost untranslatable, an untranslatable pun.

### Examples

- Some jokes are untranslatable because they are based on puns. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/#x1)
- «Hygge» is often called an untranslatable Danish word. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/#x2)
- The poem's rhymes are almost untranslatable. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/#x3)
- The teacher said the Ukrainian word was untranslatable, then explained it in a sentence. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/#x4)
- Every language has a few untranslatable words. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/#x5)
- The author's wordplay was untranslatable, so the translator added notes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/#x6)

### Note

un- + translate + -able; drop the e of translate: translatable. Myth: «untranslatable» rarely means no meaning can be given; usually it means there is no single matching word, and a phrase is needed instead.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «untranslatable» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/U/untranslatable/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«untranslatable» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/untranslatable.html) on Mova free.