Did you ever struggle to explain an English word to a French person? Well, French is a beautifully complicated language with plenty of unique words you will find hard to translate. Those words are what makes a language unique, so why not embrace it? Here are 10 untranslatable French words to learn in order to impress your friends or a native French person.
Untranslatable French Words To Know
1Sortable
![](https://frenchbien.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/pexels-photo-948199-696x488.jpeg)
That’s an adjective mostly used among friends or family to talk about someone you can take anywhere without any fear of being embarrassed by them. Except French people love to use it to say that someone is pas sortable, which means you can’t take them out because they are likely to embarrass you.
2Empêchement
![](https://frenchbien.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/pexels-photo-267569-696x464.jpeg)
Why should you think about a believable excuse to skip a boring dinner with friends, when you could use this simple word, empêchement? Yes, French people have a word to describe “an unexpected last-minute change of plans”.
3Dépaysement
![](https://frenchbien.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/pexels-photo-454880-696x446.jpeg)
When you travel to a foreign country, and you’re a little bit overwhelmed with the new culture and new landscapes, you can say that you’re experiencing some dépaysement. Most of the time, it is used to express a positive experience.