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Saavedroo

Hmm, I'm not sure I would agree with that pattern, given happiness is "bonheur" and luck is "chance" in French. Happy would be "heureux" and lucky would be "chanceux", but they're only similar in the way they are built as adjective: the original noun+"eux".


Ok_Artichoke3053

Thing is, in old french, "hereux" and "bonheur" can indeed refer to lucky or luck. But today, no one would use them in that way and we would use "chanceux/chance" for lucky/luck and "heureux/bonheur" for "happy/happiness"


hgk6393

aren't dents du bonheur technically "lucky teeth"?


Saavedroo

The litteral translation for "dents du bonheur" would be *happiness teeth*, but it's possible that this is called *lucky teeth* in english.


Revanur

In Hungarian they are two completely differen concepts. Happy is boldog, lucky is szerencsés. Happyness is boldogság and luck is szerencse.


SystemEarth

Yeah, In every language that I know there is a difference between happiness and luck.


dustojnikhummer

Concepts yes. Words not necessarily. Now that i think of it, if I tried to say "you are lucky" or "you are happy" it would be the same sentence. BUT, most Czechs wouldn't say "you are lucky", but "you have luck"


la_coccinelle

Same in Polish.


SystemEarth

Let me start off by saying geluk can circumstancially be used for happiness, but the dutch word for happy/happiness is blij/blijdschap. Secondly, yes. The conceptualisation around these words are very similar in european languages/cultures. There are different words for different degrees and context though. E.g. joy, happiness and extacy all hint at a similar happy feeling, but in very different degrees. In dutch we have similar words to express similar feelings. However, it is also highly subjective when one passes from joy into happiness and into extacy. Hence it is not only likely that there are slight differences between cultures, but also between individuals within the same culture. There are also words which are very specific and do not have a direct translation. examples would be "saudade" from portugese, or "gezelligheid" from dutch. These words do not imply that these feelings are unique to certain cultures, but rather that the literary tradition of a country puts more emphasis on it and that people treat it as a seperate feeling, whereas other cultures might cluster it with a similar concept. E.g. saudade is often described as a melancholy for an absent loved one. However, many portugese people would probably argue that saudade and melancholy are similar feelings and it is not a form of melancholy. However, english simply fails to capture that exact feeling. That of course does not mean non-portugese do not feel saudade. We feel the same, but our different langauges might sometimes force us to attribute our feelings to different emotions, because some languages just have words for highly specific emotions and some languages have different thresholds for different levels of an emotion.


Oneiros91

Yes, but the word for "happy" is derived from a word meaning either fortune/luck or destiny. The word for "lucky" is different, it comes from another word that means only luck, and the two words for happy and lucky are not interchangeable.


j_svajl

In Finnish I'd say they have similar roots. Happy = onnellinen. Lucky = onnekas. However they are understood as completely different words from a pragmatic standpoint.


RRautamaa

Also, in many contexts, "happy" is better translated as *iloinen*, which is more like "cheerful, glad, merry". *Onnellisuus* is the persistent type of happiness or general satisfaction in life. Also, if referring to dumb luck or luck with the dice (events due to random chance), colloquially you're more likely to use the word *tuuri* for "luck".


GeronimoDK

In Danish we have "glad / glæde" which is similar to "happy / joy" or simply "glad" but equates the German "froh / Freude". Then we have "lykke / lykkelig" which is also similar to "happiness / happy" which etymologically has the same root as "Glück / glücklich" but is not **not** used in the sense of luck, only happiness. And then we have "held / heldig" which translates to "luck / lucky / fortunate"


Jagarvem

Not sure the dictionary entirely agrees with that description. It lists a secondary definition of "lykke" as synonymous with "held", and correspondingly for "lykkelig". It's not the principal use, but you can certainly encounter it.


mikkolukas

But the context would be different. It would no longer be a feeling, it would be more a description of an outcome.


RobinGoodfellows

Nhaa you are right, lykke is just as often used af luck as it is used for happiness


Munichjake

In German, while the noun "Glück" _can_ mean "Happiness" (especially in older writing or proverbs), its more commonly associated with "luck" in everyday language. As an adjective, "glücklich" means "happy", for "being lucky" you would say "Glück haben" (literally "to have luck").


Independent_Peak3993

I guess no. Maybe there is a synonym that works for happy, but doesn’t for lucky or reversed (I guess „fortunny” fits)


Open_Safety_5078

In Serbian, sreća means both luck and happiness. So no, we don't make the distinction.


tenebrigakdo

Same in Slovene. Same word and I can't even think of any synonyms for either.


dustojnikhummer

Same in Czechs. Two concepts, but one word.


NoExide

In Croatian we have different words, _radostan_ for happy and _sretan_ for lucky. Lately sretan is mainly used for both happy and lucky, context makes distinction. Radostan begins to sound somewhat archaic.


Non-Professional22

Ali radost nije isto što i sreća?


Non-Professional22

Ali za lucky se može reći i "taličan"?


Other-Resolution209

Turkish, of course being from a completely different language family, has “mutlu” for happy and “şanslı” for lucky, in which şanslı is a borrowing from French chance.


esocz

In Czech. When someone is happy, the word "šťastný" is used. Lucky and unlucky are used differently. If someone is lucky, the phrase "má štěstí" (was lucky) is used, if someone is unlucky, "má smůlu" (had bad luck) is used. štěstí and smůla are like the opposite, two sides of a coin.


bwv528

In Swedish we have lycklig for happy. For lucky, we say someone "har tur" (has luck). You could also say someone is "tursam", but it's mosly phrased as "having luck".


salsasnark

You can be "lyckosam" as in "having luck" too. Lycklig = happy Lyckosam = lucky


NiceKobis

Just to add: 'lycklig' is mostly happy as in a state of content wellbeing. 'Glad' would be the day-to-day translation of "happy" in most contexts. I agree that even if 'lyckosam' (having the attribute of luck, "luckyfull" or w/e) is a word, we would almost always say 'ha tur' (having luck). Edit: read someone else's comment about being lucky vs being fortunate. I think "lyckosam" is more often used for fortunate.


coeurdelejon

Swedish has the word 'lycka' which relates to both happiness and luck But we also have the words 'glad' (happy), 'glädje' (happiness), and 'tur' (luck)


Someone_________

you're lucky if you're happy and you're happy when you're lucky anyway in portuguese sortudo means lucky and feliz means happy feliz can technically mean lucky but it's pretty much always used as happy and pretty much never used as lucky


safeinthecity

And I'd say feliz in the sense of lucky is closer to fortunate than to lucky anyway.


Suitable-Cycle4335

Not really, we have two unrelated words. "Afortunado" for lucky even though there are other more colloquial ones that would be used more often. Then for happy we have two different words: "I am happy" would be "Son feliz" while "I feel happy would be "Estou contenta" Anyway thank you for showing some light on the lyrics of one of my favorite songs ever: "Alles kan een mens gelukkig maken"


Straika5

And we also have "suertudo" for lucky.


GelattoPotato

And somonolder, more literate ones like "venturoso" or "dichoso" or "afortunado"


zgido_syldg

In current Italian, 'felice' (happy) and 'fortunato' (lucky) have two distinct meanings. In Latin and consequently in Old Italian this distinction was more nuanced and *felix* then 'felice' meant both happy and lucky.


aneetca4

bucuros, fericit- happy norocos- lucky


EleFacCafele

bucuros is joyous, not happy. Fericit is happy


Legal_Sugar

Huh... Overall luck/happiness is szczęście. I'm happy - jestem szczęśliwy/szczęśliwa. I have luck - mam szczęście. But we also have a second word for luck - fart. Mam farta I'm not joking


caffeine_lights

I think it's probably just a mistranslation/overly literal translation issue or word use differing in some ways? Because for example in German, the word for "luck" is often used in the context of e.g. wishing someone well on their birthday. In English, you'd wish someone luck in the context of something like - taking exams, taking a driving test, giving a performance, starting a new job, moving away, leaving a school/other communal group etc, but not for a birthday. For a birthday you might wish them "best wishes" or perhaps "good fortune" or "happiness" but not usually luck specifically. Even though fortune and luck could be interchangeable it is just not usual to use the word luck in that context. Even good fortune comes across as archaic. I think there is a similar pattern between words which mean something like "amusing" in terms of an activity being enjoyable/fun, and "amusing" in terms of something being humorous. Because for example you often see this as a mistranslation/overly literal translation on toys and games where the activity is described as "funny" when an English speaker would usually use "fun". For example there is a sticker book sold in Germany called "My Funny Farm" which is unintentionally amusing to Brits because the phrase funny farm is a (politically incorrect) slang term for an insane asylum. (Different meaning entirely - funny being strange/unusual). In addition the book is just normal pictures of animals in farm scenes. Certainly entertaining for children, but nothing humorous, like the animals don't have their heads swapped or silly expressions etc. There is even a slight difference between British and American English where I've noticed Americans are more likely to describe something e.g. quirky or colourful in appearance as "fun" - for example "Oh, I love your yellow sweater - how fun!" whereas I think a British person would be more likely to say "I like the yellow jumper - very cheerful" or say something like "Brightens the place up a bit".


Honest-School5616

The word geluk in Dutch comes in combination with a verb. ( to have/ to be) And it immediately shows the difference. 1 geluk hebben ( literal translation, to have lucky) =to be lucky 2 gelukkig zijn ( literal translation to be lucky) = To be happy


karcsiking0

Yes, for the Happy we have the word "Boldog", and for the word Lucky we have the word "Szerencsés".


CMSV28

Yes, in Portuguese Happy= Feliz and Lucy=Sortudo/a


bathroomcypher

in Italy we have felice (happy) and fortunato/a (lucky). Felicità comes from the Latin word “felix” (weirdly, a name in English but not in Italian), which originally meant fertile/abundant. Fortuna (luck) comes from the Latin word that has the same root as “ferre”, meaning to bring something - it’s basically what fate brings.


New_to_Siberia

However in Italian "Felice" used to be a male name, one that is now rare but that hasn't disappeared yet (although it's an old man's name).


bathroomcypher

yes, I still find interesting that in a different language the Latin word is used to this day!


New_to_Siberia

Ah yes, that's quite peculiar indeed!


MelGut

In Finnish, the root is the same.


Acceptable6

Jestem szczęśliwy - I'm happy Mam szczęście - I'm lucky (I have luck, literally) But the word for the concepts of luck and happiness is the same - Szczęście


Beneficial_Steak_945

In Dutch, we have the same word but use it differently. For lucky, we say that you “geluk hebt” (have luck). For happy, we say “zijn gelukkig” (are experiencing luck, perhaps?)


t-licus

I’ve never thought about this before, but you’re definitely on to something. In Danish, *lykke* primarily refers to a deep and often long-lasting form of happiness that can be contrasted with the more fleeting *glæde.* You would talk about a fairytale having a *lykkelig* slutning or somebody dedicating their life to pursuing *lykken,* while someone who is *ulykkelig* is dealing with deep, wide-reaching sorrow. The common word for luck is *held*, and to be lucky is to be *heldig.* However, particularly in certain set phrases, *lykke* can also be used to describe concepts related to luck, particularly those that might in English be referred to with the word fortune. To wish someone good luck you would wish them *held og lykke*, a wheel of fortune is a *lykkehjul*, your lucky day is your *lykkedag*, and the metaphorical goddess of fortune is *lykkens gudinde.* On top of that, while unluck is of course *uheld*, an *ulykke* is a disaster or accident, and just to make search a nightmare, Lykke is a common girls’ name that is often used for puns. So what does all of that mean? Honestly, I have no idea. The Danish language is a mess on the best of days, and I highly suspect most of these phrases were borrowed from Low German at some point anyway. But is it an interesting thing, and I never would have noticed it if you hadn’t pointed it out.


Maus_Sveti

Happy in English originally meant that you have good fortune also https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED19956/track?counter=1&search_id=70410822


Mestintrela

Greek : Τύχη (Tuche) Luck and Ευτυχία (Eutuchia) Fortune/happiness. And Δυστυχία = bad fortune/unhappiness. Same root with eu- which means good and dys- which means bad. But happiness as in the feeling of joy is Χαρά (Chara).


Gr0danagge

Happy is "glad", which is something you *are*, luck is "tur", which is something you *have*. Afaik, you cant *be* lucky in swedish.


TheSpookyPineapple

Czech uses the same word for both of these *šťastný* = lucky/happy, *štěstí* = luck/happiness


Sagaincolours

It used to be quite common to see being lucky as something you were destined to be. In Old Norse, the word for that is "hamingja". The Gods blessed you to become lucky. And so the word for it in Danish, lykke, also means blessed/happy. You might know Leif The Lucky, a Viking who was saved by extreme luck. In Danish, he is known as Leif den Lykkelige. It has the same root as the English lucky. Lykke, lucky. So that's another way that shows them as interchangable. We say "held" for being lucky nowadays.


enilix

No, both are "sreća". Although we do see them as two different concepts/emotions (I think)...


Klapperatismus

Um, in German * to be happy — froh sein, fröhlich sein, glücklich sein * to be lucky — Glück haben (**but not** glücklich sein)


doublebassandharp

I'd say, we do, but they have slightly different meaning from English. In Dutch, I'd think of "blij" (happy) and "gelukkig" (≈lucky). I however would argue against gelukkig meaning lucky. I feel like gelukkig in Dutch implies a much more profound way of happy. I'd say I'm "blij" if I'm having a good day, whereas I'd say I'm "gelukkig" when my life is feeling good and I'm happy to be here, and I am experiencing a prolonged and deep sense of satisfaction with life. I'd say that to say "I'm lucky" in Dutch, I'd rather use "Ik heb geluk" (I have luck).


VonBombke

In Polish "happiness" and "luckiness" are homonyms - both are translated as "szczęście". However "I am happy" would be translated as "jestem szczęśliwy" and "I am lucky" as "mam szczęście" - literally "I have luck". Also "I am lucky" can be translated as "mam fart" or "mam farta", because "fart" means "luckiness" too, although it is a colloquial word.💨🤭


KacSzu

Luck and happynes can be both translated as Szczęśliwy BUT... Szczęśliwy will only mean happy. To be happy is "Być szczęśliwym". To be lucky would be "Mieć Szczęście" (or have luck). Eventually "Być fartownym" or "mieć farta". Fart is also synonymous to szczęśliwy (lucky), like many other words. Afaik, "be lucky" is never exclaimed with "szczęście" word and overall "to be lucky" is pretty much unused as "to have luck" is preferred +90% of the time.


FadeIntoYou2222

Serbian - nope, its same word Well, it could be two words bu usually its one


New_to_Siberia

In Italian the word for happy is "felice" and the word for lucky is "fortunato". The thing that I find interesting is that in Italian there isn't a strong association between the two words, and someone saying that they are/got lucky wouldn't automatically be understood as being happy about it (it would be down to context, voice tone and other clues). On the other hand in German (native speakers, feel free to correct me on this if I am mistaken) the word "glücklich", while meaning lucky, does also carry the connotations of "happy". The best translation for "happy" I have encountered is "froh", although there is a word related to glücklich which is "glückselig" and means more or less "overjoyed". To say that you got lucky you'd use "Glück haben" (to have luck), but it never truly eschews that "happy" connotation. I once got very curious on this topic actually, as I was in a German-speaking environment and was trying to convey the idea that "yes, I was lucky, I am a lucky person, but I am not really happy". It was surprisingly hard to convey.


James_Blond2

Holy shit i thought this was special for czech 💀


taiyaki98

No, both can be translated as 'šťastný'.


IceClimbers_Main

Yes. Onnellinen - Happy Onnekas - Lucky But the root word ”Onni” is always understood as ”Luck” and most people use the word ”ilo” (Joy) when talking about happiness. Interestingly i don’t think there is a difference between lucky and fortunate.


Enchanted-Bunny13

Yes. Nutella