FREE! Click here to Join FunTrivia. Thousands of games, quizzes, and lots more!
Words and Phrases Which Express Concepts Quiz
Here are ten words or phrases from other languages, which express concepts for which no comparable word exists in English. Your task is to match up each word or phrase with the language of origin.
A matching quiz
by chessart.
Estimated time: 3 mins.
Last 3 plays: Dagny1 (10/10), Guest 108 (6/10), camhammer (10/10).
(a) Drag-and-drop from the right to the left, or (b) click on a right
side answer box and then on a left side box to move it.
Questions
Choices
1. Sprezzatura
Kurdish
2. L'esprit de l'escalier
German
3. Gezelligheid
Latin
4. Aloha
Italian
5. Yuánfèn
Chinese
6. Koi no yokan
Dutch
7. Peshmerga
Hawaiian
8. Ne plus ultra
Yiddish
9. Fingerspitzengefühl
French
10. Chutzpah
Japanese
Select each answer
Most Recent Scores
Dec 17 2024
:
Dagny1: 10/10
Dec 09 2024
:
Guest 108: 6/10
Dec 09 2024
:
camhammer: 10/10
Nov 27 2024
:
Kiwikaz: 8/10
Nov 16 2024
:
Guest 108: 8/10
Nov 11 2024
:
Fiona112233: 10/10
Nov 07 2024
:
spidersfull: 10/10
Nov 07 2024
:
snhha: 10/10
Nov 07 2024
:
Mabel466: 8/10
Score Distribution
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Sprezzatura
Answer: Italian
Sprezzatura is an Italian word meaning making the difficult look easy. The word was famously used in 1939 by the historian Charles Alexander to describe the play of baseball great Joe DiMaggio.
2. L'esprit de l'escalier
Answer: French
L'esprit de l'escalier, literally meaning "staircase wit", is a French term used for the frequently-experienced frustration of thinking of a good retort too late. The phrase was coined by French writer Denis Diderot, who belatedly thought of the perfect reply when he was at the bottom of the stairs leading out of the mansion at which he had been attending a dinner party.
3. Gezelligheid
Answer: Dutch
More than any other concept, gezelligheid is said to capture the essence of Dutch culture. It refers to a spirit of togetherness which pervades the culture.
4. Aloha
Answer: Hawaiian
Aloha is a Hawaiian word which has been incorporated into the English language to mean either hello or good-bye. Its actual meaning in the native Hawaiian language is a combination of peace and affection, somewhat similar to the Hebrew "shalom".
5. Yuánfèn
Answer: Chinese
Yuánfèn refers to a relationship ordained by fate or destiny. It is somewhat similar to karma in Buddhism, but it is distinguished from karma in that yuánfèn refers to the quality of a relationship, while karma is an individual quality. Yuánfèn is still an important concept in Chinese culture, and social scientists have identified a number of psychological advantages to this belief system.
6. Koi no yokan
Answer: Japanese
Koi no yokan is a Japanese phrase meaning the feeling on meeting someone that falling in love will be inevitable. It differs from "love at first sight", in that koi no yokan doesn't mean you are already in love, just that you know love in the future is inevitable.
7. Peshmerga
Answer: Kurdish
The Peshmerga are the fighting force of the Kurdish people. It literally means "one who faces death". The Peshmerga are known as one of the best fighting forces in the world.
8. Ne plus ultra
Answer: Latin
Ne plus ultra literally means "the highest point capable of being attained". The phrase was significant in the days of the Roman Empire, as it was said to gave been inscribed on the Rock of Gibraltar, as a warning that ships travelling in the Mediterranean Sea were not to go beyond that point.
9. Fingerspitzengefühl
Answer: German
Put together the German words Fingerspitze (fingertip) and Gefühl (feeling), and you get a word literally meaning "fingertip feeling", referring to a special sensitivity, flair, or tact.
10. Chutzpah
Answer: Yiddish
Chutzpah is a Yiddish word meaning audacity, or supreme self-confidence. This can be either a positive or a negative trait, depending on the particular circumstances.
This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor stedman before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.