The literal English translation of hygge would be cosiness. For as long as I can remember there has been a Danish narrative about it being impossible to translate — which it isn’t. Cosiness comes very near to describing the sense of hygge. But that being said, there are many cultural connotations to the word that sets it apart and lets us Danes feel special about it.
First of all, it’s one word foreigners who visit Denmark have a real hard time pronouncing — along with our other classic "rød, grød med fløde" (give it your best shot) — and therefore we take great delight in introducing people to hygge and asking them to pronounce it. This provides great comic relief to set off any awkward silence. And Danes really hate socially awkward situations and we’d do anything we can to to avoid them.
The other part of hygge which might be inherently Danish is the feeling of intimacy it adds to a social setting. If you've had a “hyggelig” time with your closest family, friends or even date, it can best be described as having had a good time with no awkwardness, carefree and relaxed. This is also why it’s understood, but not pronounced, that if you’re attracted to someone but don’t want to be to open about it — which Danes don’t — you let the person know that it could be very hyggeligt to see him or her for a beer or coffee.
These factors add to what might be clearest indicator of what sets hygge apart from cosiness and makes it a concept worth exporting. Hygge in Danish is a noun but also a verb. You don’t just describe something as hyggeligt — you do it. Asking friends over to hygge is the simple way of saying: come on over and let’s do what we like doing best and what we always do. Be that eating, drinking or both.
LIFESTYLE TREND
Exporting Hygge: the cosy 'new' trend
What exactly is hygge and why is it so special? We asked our correspondent in Copenhagen to explain what all the fuss is about
Image: MyLoupe/UIG via Getty Images
The literal English translation of hygge would be cosiness. For as long as I can remember there has been a Danish narrative about it being impossible to translate — which it isn’t. Cosiness comes very near to describing the sense of hygge. But that being said, there are many cultural connotations to the word that sets it apart and lets us Danes feel special about it.
First of all, it’s one word foreigners who visit Denmark have a real hard time pronouncing — along with our other classic "rød, grød med fløde" (give it your best shot) — and therefore we take great delight in introducing people to hygge and asking them to pronounce it. This provides great comic relief to set off any awkward silence. And Danes really hate socially awkward situations and we’d do anything we can to to avoid them.
The other part of hygge which might be inherently Danish is the feeling of intimacy it adds to a social setting. If you've had a “hyggelig” time with your closest family, friends or even date, it can best be described as having had a good time with no awkwardness, carefree and relaxed. This is also why it’s understood, but not pronounced, that if you’re attracted to someone but don’t want to be to open about it — which Danes don’t — you let the person know that it could be very hyggeligt to see him or her for a beer or coffee.
These factors add to what might be clearest indicator of what sets hygge apart from cosiness and makes it a concept worth exporting. Hygge in Danish is a noun but also a verb. You don’t just describe something as hyggeligt — you do it. Asking friends over to hygge is the simple way of saying: come on over and let’s do what we like doing best and what we always do. Be that eating, drinking or both.
With Denmark’s success in exporting Nordic Noir thrillers, minimalistic clothing and furniture design the next step is bound to tie these trends together: gathering your family — all dressed in black — to sit in your designer sofa by the fire place watching the export success The Killing. What could possibly be more Danish than that?
This Christmas, we will see at least nine books in English about Danish Hygge hit the bookstores. Of course, none of them will be translated into Danish as we already know what it’s about.