When I was growing up, my family and I spoke English with a random smattering of Dutch words, as it was my mother’s first language. It wasn’t until I started going to school that I realized not everyone knew these select words that I was accustomed to using. Slowly, I learned to use “sandwich” instead of “boterham,” and “hurry up!” instead of “schiet op!” But, I also eventually realized that my favorite Dutch word lacked an accurate English translation. The word is gezellig (heh-sell-ick) and it’s usually translated as “a cozy atmosphere” or “feeling of warmth,” however those definitions don’t even begin to encapsulate the meaning of the word in Dutch.
Gezellig is not a mere adjective, but rather a captivating feeling. It’s more than feeling cozy, comfortable, or relaxed, it’s feeling completely yourself and content with where you are. If that doesn’t quite make sense, here are some situations that I would describe as gezellig:
When I come home for winter break, my hometown is cold and frosty. But inside my childhood home, the fireplace is spreading its warmth throughout the house, wrapping me in its embrace, much like how my mother does when I come in through the door. It’s been months since I’ve been home, and even longer since I’ve seen my entire family. We sit around our dining room table in the designated spots we’ve sat in for years and eat a deliciously home-cooked meal together. Gezellig.
It may have only been an hour since I last saw my dog, but Pippin is still happy to see me. He comes running as soon as he notices that I am there. He demands belly rubs and my full attention, and I sit on the floor next to him and happily oblige his wishes. We sit there on the floor together until my legs go numb from sitting criss-cross applesauce, but I don’t mind at all because he’s just so damn cute. Gezellig.
I have seen the Lord of the Rings films more times than I’d like to admit. My family traditionally watches the trilogy every year at Christmastime; yearly without fail, Tolkien’s masterpiece ends up playing on our TV. There’s nothing quite like settling on the couch with my brothers and some Speculaas cookies to rewatch our favorite movies and melt into the fantasy world. Gezellig.
Growing up in California, rain has always been my favorite weather, but one that I don’t get to experience very often. However, when it does rain, my roommate and I are the first ones outside to soak it all in. We stand without arms out and faces tilted to the sky as the water speckles our clothes. Even with our eyes closed, you can feel the power of nature in the air and smell the sweetness of the happy plants. Gezellig.
It’s not easy having a long-distance best friend, especially since mine decided to go to college in Iowa. We’ve known each other since we were born and have never really gone more than a week without seeing each other. I worried a lot that college, and our time spent apart, would change us and our dynamic, but every time we talk that worry instantly melts away. I know that our friendship is still as special as it was when we lived in the same city. She simply knows me as no one else in the world knows me, and we are comfortable in each other’s presence no matter what we are doing. Gezellig.
Gezellig describes the best parts of life where it feels like your heart is grinning from ear to ear, yet you are calm and at peace. Gezellig is taking comfort in the people, places, and things that you love wholeheartedly. This is why gezellig is my favorite word because it is my favorite feeling. And this is why I am disappointed that English does not have another word like it because these are beautiful moments that deserve to be described in such a beautiful way: gezellig.