In Albanian, “untranslatable” words give us a beautiful window into the culture, history, and mindset of the Albanian people.

I always tell my students that to truly speak Albanian, you have to understand its heart. You cannot separate the language from the culture.

And the absolute beating heart of Albanian culture is a concept you might have heard before: besa.

Let’s look at besa and a few other uniquely Albanian words that you need to know to truly understand the language.

The cultural concept of besa

If there is one word you must know when learning Albanian, it’s besa.

If you look it up in a dictionary, besa translates to “faith”, “trust”, or “oath”.

But that simple translation does not do it justice.

In Albanian culture, besa is a sacred code of honor.

When an Albanian gives you their besa, it means they are giving you their unbreakable word. They will keep their promise to you, even if it costs them their life.

Historically, this comes from the Kanun (a set of traditional Albanian laws). Besa was the ultimate rule of hospitality and protection. For example, during World War II, Albanians used the code of besa to protect Jewish refugees, risking their own lives to keep their guests safe.

How to use besa in a sentence

Today, you might not be making life-or-death promises, but besa is still used to show absolute trust and sincerity.

Mërzi: a mix of boredom and sadness

Another word that is incredibly hard to translate into English is mërzi (or the adjective form, i mërzitur for males and e mërzitur for females).

In English, we have “boredom” and we have “sadness”. In Albanian, mërzi sits right in the middle of these two feelings.

When an Albanian says they are mërzitur, they might mean they have nothing to do and are simply bored. But they could also mean they are feeling down, upset, disappointed, or slightly depressed.

It is a heavy kind of melancholy that English doesn’t have a single word for.

Inat: the Albanian stubbornness

If you spend enough time with Albanians, you will definitely experience inat.

Inat broadly translates to “anger”, “spite”, or “stubbornness”. However, culturally, it is a very specific type of stubborn defiance.

Doing something për inat (out of spite) means doing it just to prove a point to someone else, or refusing to back down because your pride is on the line. It is a fiery, stubborn energy.

While the word originally has Ottoman roots, Albanians have fully adopted it to describe the national trait of being incredibly hard-headed!

Qejf: the art of feeling good

On a much happier note, we have qejf (pronounced “chyef”).

This word translates to “pleasure”, “fun”, or “mood”, but it really represents the Albanian love for enjoying life.

When you are në qejf, you are in a fantastic mood. When you do something për qejf, you are doing it just for the pure joy of it.

If you go out for a coffee with friends, have a great conversation, and laugh a lot, you are experiencing qejf.

Regional variations of these words

As you continue to learn Albanian, you will notice that the language is split into two main dialects: Gheg (spoken in the north of Albania and Kosovo) and Tosk (spoken in the south of Albania).

Because these cultural words are used in everyday spoken language, their pronunciation often changes depending on where you are.

Here are a few quick differences you might hear:

• Qejf: In the south (Tosk) and standard writing, you will see it spelled and pronounced as qejf. In the north (Gheg) and in Kosovo, the “j” is usually dropped, so people simply say and write qef.
• Mërzi: In the north, the ending of the adjective form changes. A northern speaker might say jam mërzit instead of standard jam i mërzitur.
• Besa: The core meaning of besa never changes, no matter where you are. However, it is especially prominent in the northern Gheg highlands, where the Kanun was most strictly followed historically.

Quick vocabulary summary

Here is a simple table to help you review these untranslatable words:

---

Learning grammar rules is important, but learning words like besa, mërzi, inat, and qejf is what will actually make you sound like a native.

Try using these words in your next Albanian conversation. Tell your friend you are doing something për qejf, or promise them something by giving them your besa. They will instantly respect your understanding of their culture.