Caitlin Ahern

English communication in Graz, Austria

The atmosphere is just so… “gemütlich”

Gemütlichkeit. Unterwegs. Mahlzeit! These words have been creeping into my English since moving to Austria. Before, if someone were to ask “How was your lunch with so-and-so?” I could reply, “Delicious.” or “Lots of fun” or “A little boring.” But after living in Austria for a while I realized that lunch can also be quite simply gemütlich. Gemütlichkeit feels cozy, comfortable, relaxing, and familiar, yet none of these words is a direct synonym. I will never look at a lunch date the same way again!

That’s why I absolutely love these beautiful illustrations of words with no English equivalent. Utepils might be my favorite – what about you?

One comment on “The atmosphere is just so… “gemütlich”

  1. cinemarcia
    May 28, 2014

    These are beautiful! I love Aware. I wish they’d done Saudade (portuguese) – a deep emotional state of nostalgic or profound melancholic longing for an absent something or someone that one loves.

    But now I am left wondering what gemütlich means…

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This entry was posted on May 28, 2014 by in German, Vocabulary.
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