uninhabitable
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uninhabitable
Not suitable to live in, often because of damage, poor conditions, or a lack of infrastructure.
Nach dem schweren Wasserschaden wurde die Wohnung für unbewohnbar erklärt.
After the serious water damage, the apartment was declared uninhabitable.
This adjective is built very logically: it consists of the prefix 'un-' (not), the verb stem 'wohn' (from 'wohnen' — to live), and the ending '-bar' (-able, possible). 'Unbewohnbar' (uninhabitable) therefore literally means 'not inhabitable.'
Ohne Heizung und fließendes Wasser ist das Haus im Winter unbewohnbar.
Without heating and running water, the house is uninhabitable in winter.
'Unbewohnbar' (uninhabitable) is mostly used with the verbs 'sein' (to be), 'werden' (to become), or 'machen' (to make) to describe the condition of a building. It then stands as a predicative adjective after the verb.
Durch das Erdbeben wurden Hunderte Häuser unbewohnbar.
The earthquake made hundreds of houses uninhabitable.
A very common and official formulation is 'für unbewohnbar erklären' (to declare uninhabitable). This is often done by authorities such as the building department or the fire department after a disaster or in cases of serious defects.
Nach dem Brand hat die Feuerwehr das Gebäude für unbewohnbar erklärt.
After the fire, the fire department declared the building uninhabitable.
unusable
'unbrauchbar' and 'unbewohnbar' both say that something is not suitable. 'Unbrauchbar' is general: a device, a tool, or a plan can be unusable. 'Unbewohnbar' is used only for rooms, apartments, houses, or places where people cannot live. A house can be uninhabitable after a fire; a broken lamp is unusable, but not uninhabitable. The words can be confused because both have to do with a poor condition.
Nach dem Feuer war die Wohnung für mehrere Monate unbewohnbar.
After the fire, the apartment was uninhabitable for several months.
Heute ist die Bohrmaschine unbrauchbar, weil der Akku kaputt ist.
Today the drill is unusable because the battery is broken.