01
unfähig
unable
Not having the necessary ability, competence, or strength to do something specific or meet a requirement.
example
Nach dem Unfall war er unfähig, seinen Arm zu bewegen.
After the accident, he was unable to move his arm.
unfähig
unable
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word formation with 'un-'
The adjective 'unfähig' (unable) is the direct opposite of 'fähig' (able/capable). The prefix 'un-' is often used in German to negate the meaning of adjectives and nouns.
EXAMPLE
Er fühlte sich nach der Operation noch unfähig zu arbeiten.
After the operation, he still felt unable to work.
Two sentence patterns
'Unfähig' (unable/incapable) is often used in two ways: followed by an infinitive with 'zu' (to) to describe an action, or followed by 'zu' + noun to describe an emotional or character trait.
EXAMPLE
Er war so müde, dass er unfähig war, einen klaren Gedanken zu fassen.
He was so tired that he was unable to form a clear thought.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'not capable in terms of character,' 'unfähig' (incapable) is often combined with abstract nouns that describe feelings or social behaviors. Typical examples are 'unfähig zu Mitgefühl' (incapable of compassion), 'unfähig zur Liebe' (incapable of love), or 'unfähig zur Empathie' (incapable of empathy).
EXAMPLE
Sein Verhalten zeigt, dass er unfähig zu jeder Form von Selbstkritik ist.
His behavior shows that he is incapable of any form of self-criticism.
Compare with
unfähig vs geeignet
suitable
'geeignet' and 'unfähig' can both describe whether someone can carry out a task. 'geeignet' means that a person or thing is suitable for a task or situation. 'unfähig', by contrast, says that someone does not have the necessary ability or strength for it. The contrast is especially clear with people: a suitable person can take on the task well; an unable person cannot do it, or cannot do it well enough. For things, you are more likely to say 'nicht geeignet' (not suitable) or 'unbrauchbar' (unusable) than 'unfähig'.
unfähig
Nach dem Unfall war der Fahrer unfähig, allein aus dem Auto zu steigen.
After the accident, the driver was unable to get out of the car on his own.
geeignet
Für diese Arbeit ist Lena gut geeignet, weil sie viel Erfahrung hat.
Lena is well suited for this work because she has a lot of experience.
In real life
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