ungläubig
incredulous
Unable to believe something or doubting the truth of a statement.
EXAMPLE
Sie sah ihn ungläubig an, als er ihr die unglaubliche Nachricht erzählte.
She looked at him incredulously when he told her the incredible news.
ungläubig
incredulous / nonbelieving
ungläubig – ungläubiger – am ungläubigsten
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Meanings
ungläubig
nonbelieving
Not believing in God or a religion; having no religious faith.
EXAMPLE
Der ungläubige Mann nahm an keinem Gottesdienst teil.
The nonbelieving man did not attend any religious services.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry ungläubig, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Comparison
| basic form | ungläubig |
|---|---|
| comparative | ungläubiger |
| superlative | am ungläubigsten |
After der, die, das
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -e | -e | -e | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -e | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to ungläubig.
After ein, eine
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to ungläubig.
Without article
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -e |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -e |
| dat. | -em | -er | -em | -en |
| gen. | -en | -er | -en | -er |
Add the ending to ungläubig.
Usage tips
Word structure
'Ungläubig' (incredulous / nonbelieving) consists of 'un-' and 'gläubig' (believing / religious). The prefix 'un-' negates the quality here and helps you recognize the basic idea of 'ohne Glauben' (without belief or faith).
EXAMPLE
Der ungläubige Blick der Zeugin verriet, dass sie die Geschichte nicht akzeptierte.
The witness's incredulous look revealed that she did not accept the story.
Context clue
In the context of surprising news, a claim, or a reaction, 'ungläubig' (incredulous) usually means that someone has doubts. In contexts involving religion, God, or religious services, 'ungläubig' (nonbelieving) indicates a lack of religious faith.
EXAMPLE
Er las die Nachricht zweimal und sah danach ungläubig auf sein Handy.
He read the message twice and then looked incredulously at his phone.
Seine fromme Familie hielt ihn für ungläubig, weil er nicht mehr in die Kirche ging.
His devout family considered him nonbelieving because he no longer went to church.
Typical collocations
In the sense of 'zweifelnd' (doubtful), 'ungläubig' (incredulous) often occurs with verbs of reaction or perception. Typical combinations include 'ungläubig schauen' (to look incredulous), 'jemanden ungläubig ansehen' (to look at someone incredulously), and 'ungläubig den Kopf schütteln' (to shake one's head incredulously).
EXAMPLE
Sie schüttelte ungläubig den Kopf, als sie den Preis hörte.
She shook her head incredulously when she heard the price.
In real life
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