Many languages, have words that do not translate directly into English without long explanations. A familiar example is déjà vu. But there are plenty of more obscure words, just as useful as déjà vu.
- l'appelle d'vide (French) - The urge to jump from high places, into a canyon, etc.. literally, "the call of the void".
- Litost (Czech) - a state of torment created by the sudden sight of one’s own misery.
- Mamihlapinatapai (Yaghan) - A look between two people that suggests an unspoken, shared desire.
More:
Favorite untranslatable words
20 unusual words (BBC)
10 coolest foreign words
In Other Words (book)
