01
undankbar
ungrateful
Showing no gratitude for help, kindness, or gifts.
example
Er war so undankbar und hat sich nicht einmal für das teure Geschenk bedankt.
He was so ungrateful and didn't even say thank you for the expensive gift.
undankbar
ungrateful
Checking...
Loading your saved state.
Meanings
01 / 02
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of the prefix 'un-' and the adjective 'dankbar' (grateful). The prefix 'un-' negates the base word, so it means 'not grateful.'
EXAMPLE
Es ist enttäuschend, wenn Menschen undankbar sind.
It is disappointing when people are ungrateful.
Context clue
The meaning changes depending on what is being described. If 'undankbar' refers to a person, it means 'not grateful.' If it refers to a task or job, it means 'laborious and without recognition.'
EXAMPLE
Er ist ein undankbarer Mensch, der nie zufrieden ist.
He is an ungrateful person who is never satisfied.
Sentence structure with preposition
If you want to express what someone is ungrateful for, use the preposition 'für' (for) followed by the accusative.
EXAMPLE
Sie war undankbar für all die Hilfe, die sie bekommen hatte.
She was ungrateful for all the help she had received.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'without recognition,' the word is almost always used in the combination 'eine undankbare Aufgabe' (a thankless task) or 'eine undankbare Arbeit' (thankless work).
EXAMPLE
Die Organisation des Festes war eine undankbare Aufgabe, weil sich am Ende alle nur beschwert haben.
Organizing the party was a thankless task because in the end everyone only complained.
Compare with
undankbar vs dankbar
grateful
'dankbar' and 'undankbar' are direct opposites. For people, 'dankbar' means that someone appreciates help or kindness; 'undankbar' means that someone does not show this appreciation. With tasks, there is also a contrast: a 'dankbare' Aufgabe is a rewarding task that quickly produces a good result, while an 'undankbare' Aufgabe is difficult, unpleasant, or receives little recognition. So the context shows whether it is about a feeling or about a task.
undankbar
Die Pflege der alten Geräte ist eine undankbare Aufgabe, weil kaum jemand die Arbeit sieht.
Maintaining the old equipment is a thankless task because hardly anyone sees the work.
dankbar
Der Kunde war dankbar, weil die Köchin ihm trotz der späten Stunde noch half.
The customer was grateful because the cook still helped him despite the late hour.
In real life
Loading video examples...