Kënaqësia

Kënaqësia is a noun in Albanian that denotes satisfaction, contentment, or pleasure arising from the fulfillment of a desire, need, or expectation. It can refer to a positive emotional state experienced when something meets or exceeds one’s hopes, and it is commonly used to describe personal feelings as well as collective or communal satisfaction in various contexts.

Etymology and forms: Kënaqësia is derived from the verb këna(ë), meaning to please or to satisfy. The word is feminine and typically used in the singular as kënaqësia, with the plural form kënaqësitë. It often appears in qualitative phrases such as “kënaqësi e madhe” (great satisfaction) or “pakënaqësi” (dissatisfaction), the latter serving as its semantic opposite.

Usage and nuances: In everyday Albanian, kënaqësia conveys a positive emotional state but can also be used more broadly to describe a sense of contentment or approval with a situation, product, or outcome. It contrasts with pakënaqësia, which expresses dissatisfaction or discontent. The term appears in literature, media, and speech to articulate personal feelings, social approval, or the success of endeavors, and it may be combined with adjectives to convey intensity or formality, such as kënaqësi e përhershme (permanent satisfaction) or kënaqësi të vyer (high pleasure).

See also: Pakënaqësi, kënaqje (to please), kënaqur (to be pleased).

Kënaqësia thus functions as a common lexical item for describing the positive affect tied to fulfillment and approval within Albanian language and culture.