#WordsWithBorders
Sankofa 🇬🇭
Pronounced: sahn-KOH-fah

Meaning: “Go back and get it”

The wisdom of returning to the past to recover something valuable that was left behind. Sankofa reminds us that moving forward does not mean forgetting where we came from.

#WordsWithBorders
August 15, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Fernweh 🇩🇪
Pronounced: FEHRN-vay

Meaning: “A longing for faraway places”

A deep desire to travel, explore, and experience distant places. Often described as the opposite of homesickness, it is the feeling that somewhere beyond the horizon, something is calling you.

#WordsWithBorders
June 3, 2026 at 3:47 AM
Sobremesa 🇪🇸
Pronounced: so-bre-MEH-sa

Meaning: “Time spent at the table after eating”

The lingering moments after a meal, when the food is finished but conversation flows freely. It reflects the warmth of connection and the unhurried joy of simply being together.

#WordsWithBorders
September 7, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Uitwaaien 🇳🇱
Pronounced: OUT-vah-en

Meaning: “To walk in the wind”

The act of going out into the wind, often along a beach, a field, or a breezy urban street; not just for exercise or scenery, but to clear one’s mind.

#WordsWithBorders
June 7, 2025 at 6:25 PM
“Samar” (سمر) (Arabic) 🇸🇦🇪🇬🇱🇧
Pronunciation: sah-MAR

The act of staying up late, deep in conversation with friends or loved ones, sharing stories, laughter, and dreams under the stars.

#WordsWithBorders
March 20, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan) 👀✨
(Pronounced: mah-MEE-lah-pee-nah-tah-pie)

The meaningful, unspoken exchange of glances between two people who want to take action but are hesitant to be the first to do so.

#WordsWithBorders
January 13, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Meraki (Greek) 💛✨
(Pronounced: meh-RAH-kee)
To do something with soul, creativity, or love; to put a piece of yourself into what you create.
It’s the art of infusing your spirit into even the smallest tasks, making them uniquely yours.

#WordsWithBorders
December 29, 2024 at 3:33 PM
طرب [Tarab] (Arabic)
(Pronunciation: ta-rab)
The ecstatic feeling of joy and transcendence brought on by music or poetry.

#WordsWithBorders
December 23, 2024 at 8:42 PM
Gökotta (Swedish)
(Pronounced: yur-koh-tah)
The act of waking up early to hear the birds sing and enjoy the peace of nature. It’s a quiet moment of connection with the world as it awakens.

#WordsWithBorders
December 14, 2024 at 3:42 AM
Wabi-sabi (侘寂)
A worldview centered on embracing the beauty of imperfection, impermanence, and the natural cycle of growth and decay. It’s finding grace in the flawed and incomplete.
#WordsWithBorders
December 4, 2024 at 8:50 PM
Maitrī मैत्री (Sanskrit)
Universal loving-kindness, benevolence, and friendliness, reflecting an attitude of goodwill and compassion extended to all beings without discrimination.
#WordsWithBorders
November 28, 2024 at 3:34 PM
November 27, 2024 at 2:27 PM
November 27, 2024 at 2:26 PM
I’m going to start using #WordsWithBorders for these posts of words without direct English translation.

Saudade (Portuguese)
A deep emotional state of nostalgic longing for something or someone that is absent, often with the knowledge that they may never return.
MARO - Saudade Saudade - Portugal 🇵🇹 - Official Music Video - Eurovision 2022
YouTube video by Eurovision Song Contest
youtu.be
November 27, 2024 at 2:25 PM