01
ungleich
unequal
Not the same or identical; different in characteristics, size, or form.
example
Die beiden Brüder sind charakterlich sehr ungleich.
The two brothers are very unequal in character.
ungleich
unequal / much
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
The word is the opposite of 'gleich' (same/equal). The prefix 'un-' is often used in German to turn the meaning of an adjective or adverb into its opposite.
EXAMPLE
Es ist unfair, wenn die Aufgaben ungleich schwer sind.
It is unfair when the tasks are unequally difficult.
Use as an adverb
In this meaning, 'ungleich' is used as an adverb to intensify a comparative (e.g., 'besser' — better, 'schneller' — faster). It stands directly before the comparative adjective.
EXAMPLE
Die zweite Prüfung war ungleich anspruchsvoller als die erste.
The second exam was much more demanding than the first.
Context clue
You can recognize the adverbial meaning by the fact that 'ungleich' stands directly before an adjective in the comparative (e.g., 'größer' — bigger, 'wichtiger' — more important). In the other meanings, it describes a noun or answers the question 'How?'.
EXAMPLE
Das neue Modell ist ungleich teurer.
The new model is much more expensive.
Typical collocations
In the context of fairness and distribution, 'ungleich' is often combined with verbs like 'verteilen' (to distribute) or nouns like 'Chancen' (opportunities) and 'Bedingungen' (conditions).
EXAMPLE
Der Wohlstand ist in diesem Land sehr ungleich verteilt.
Wealth is very unequally distributed in this country.
Compare with
ungleich vs viel
much / a lot
'viel' and 'ungleich' can both intensify a comparison. In sentences like 'viel besser' (much better), 'viel' means that the difference is clearly large. 'ungleich' can mean 'considerably' or 'much' in a similar way, for example 'ungleich schwieriger' (much more difficult). The difference is mainly in style: 'viel' is normal and natural in everyday language. 'ungleich' sounds more elevated and is more likely to appear in written or more formal texts. Learners may confuse the words because both can stand before a comparative. In conversation, 'viel' is usually the safe choice.
ungleich
Mit guter Vorbereitung ist die Prüfung ungleich leichter.
With good preparation, the exam is much easier.
viel
Der neue Weg zur Arbeit ist viel kürzer als der alte.
The new route to work is much shorter than the old one.
In real life
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