Language, explained

Untranslatable is a place where native speakers from around the world get to share, explain and define things from their language.

With thousands of entries in 79 languages from over 111 countries, this platform aims to give everyone an opportunity to share and explain slang, expressions, idioms, emojis, references from their part of the world.

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Persian Afghanistan

نوروز

Word USED Very frequently BY People

Nawroz is composed of two words: /naw/or /no/: new and /roz/: day. Which means new day. It is the first day of solar year which is the celebration of spring and new year in Afghanistan, Iran, Tajikistan and other neighboring countries.

Note: "I am a native Persian speaker and have got my diploma in Persian literature and linguistic." the submitter left this besides the link. removed it so the link could work, but just didn't want to delete it.

In the new year we say "nawroz peroz" or "nawroz mubarak"

Have a successful new day/year Happy new year


Beyond translation

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Information that is often common knowledge to native speakers, but not to outsiders. This way you get an insider view into a foreign language.




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The project launched in 2019 on Kickstarter, and has since gathered thousands of entries from all over the world.



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A collection of dictionaries

Beyond our own database of entries, we also have a database documenting other amazing alternative dictionaries or project related to slang.

This includes dictionaries, online or printed, that are dedicated to non-standard varieties, or projects that focus on language varieties that are often left undocumented.





It's like asking a friend

Untranslatable is not a replacement for a traditional dictionary, but should be seen as an addition thereof. Think of it like asking a foreign friend to explain a local linguistic phenomenon to you.



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