uncertainty
Loading your saved state.
uncertainty
The state of not knowing what will happen or how a situation will develop. It describes a feeling of insecurity and doubt about the future.
Die lange Wartezeit auf die Prüfungsergebnisse war eine Zeit großer Ungewissheit für die Studenten.
The long wait for the exam results was a time of great uncertainty for the students.
The word is clearly structured: the prefix 'un-' negates the adjective 'gewiss' (certain). The ending '-heit' turns it into a noun that describes a state. So 'Ungewissheit' (uncertainty) is literally the state of not being certain.
Die Ungewissheit über seine Zukunft machte ihm zu schaffen.
The uncertainty about his future was troubling him.
Common expressions are 'in Ungewissheit leben' (to live in uncertainty), 'jemanden in Ungewissheit lassen' (to leave someone in uncertainty), or that 'Ungewissheit herrscht' (uncertainty prevails). The feeling is often described with adjectives like 'groß' (great) or 'quälend' (agonizing).
Die Mitarbeiter leben seit Wochen in großer Ungewissheit über ihre Jobs.
The employees have been living in great uncertainty about their jobs for weeks.
To describe the state, you use the preposition 'in'. To name the subject of the uncertainty, you use 'über' with the accusative.
Er war in Ungewissheit über den Ausgang der Verhandlungen.
He was in uncertainty about the outcome of the negotiations.
doubt
Both Zweifel and Ungewissheit fit an unclear future. Zweifel tends to mean that you question a possibility or its success, whereas Ungewissheit mainly describes not yet knowing what will happen next. Use Zweifel for the skeptical judgment and Ungewissheit for the open outcome.
Bis zur Bekanntgabe der Ergebnisse bleibt die Ungewissheit, ob unser Team gewinnen wird.
Until the results are announced, it will remain uncertain whether our team will win.
Wegen der schlechten Vorbereitung habe ich Zweifel, ob unser Team gewinnen wird.
Because of the poor preparation, I doubt that our team will win.
