unfassbar
incredible
So extreme, great, or extraordinary that one can hardly believe it or grasp it mentally; unbelievable.
EXAMPLE
Die Zerstörung durch den Sturm war einfach unfassbar.
The destruction caused by the storm was simply incredible.
unfassbar
incredible
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word is easy to understand if you break it down: the prefix 'un-' means 'not', the stem 'fass-' comes from 'fassen' (here in the sense of 'begreifen'—to grasp or understand), and the ending '-bar' means '-able' or '-ible'. So 'unfassbar' (incredible) literally means 'not able to be grasped'.
EXAMPLE
Seine Dummheit ist für mich einfach unfassbar.
His stupidity is simply incredible to me.
Use as an adverb
'Unfassbar' (incredible) is very often used as an adverb to intensify another adjective or a verb extremely. It then means something like 'unglaublich' (unbelievably) or 'extrem' (extremely).
EXAMPLE
Das Konzert gestern war unfassbar gut.
The concert yesterday was unbelievably good.
Emotional context
This word always expresses a strong emotion, for example shock, amazement, anger, or great joy. It is used for situations that are far outside the norm.
EXAMPLE
Es ist eine unfassbare Tragödie für die ganze Familie.
It is an incredible tragedy for the whole family.
Compare with
unfassbar vs unglaublich
incredible
Both words describe something extremely extraordinary that is hard to believe. “Unglaublich” focuses more on whether one can believe a piece of news, while “unfassbar” additionally emphasizes that one can hardly grasp its extent. Use “unfassbar” when the emotional overwhelm is especially strong.
unfassbar
Die Nachricht von der plötzlichen Absage war unfassbar, und wir konnten sie lange nicht begreifen.
The news of the sudden cancellation was unfathomable, and we could not comprehend it for a long time.
unglaublich
Die Nachricht von der plötzlichen Absage war unglaublich, obwohl mehrere Personen sie bestätigten.
The news of the sudden cancellation was incredible, even though several people confirmed it.
In real life
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