misfortune / accident
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accident / disaster
A sudden, bad event involving great damage or suffering, such as an accident or a disaster.
Bei dem schweren Zugunglück gab es leider mehrere Tote.
Unfortunately, several people died in the serious train accident.
misfortune
A state of suffering, sorrow, or ongoing bad luck; the absence of happiness or good fortune.
Sein ganzes Leben war von Unglück und Enttäuschungen geprägt.
His whole life was marked by misfortune and disappointments.
The word 'Unglück' is the direct opposite of 'das Glück' (luck/happiness). The prefix 'un-' negates the base word and can refer both to 'Glück haben' (to be lucky) as bad luck and to 'glücklich sein' (to be happy) as sorrow.
Er hatte das Unglück, seinen Zug zu verpassen.
He had the misfortune of missing his train.
When 'Unglück' means a countable event such as an accident, it can appear in the plural and have an article. If it refers to the general state of bad luck or sorrow, it is usually uncountable and used without an article.
In den Nachrichten wurde von einem schweren Unglück berichtet.
The news reported a serious accident.
When 'Unglück' describes an event, it is often used with the verbs 'geschehen' (to happen) or 'passieren' (to happen). People also speak of the 'Unglücksort' (accident site) or say that an accident 'Opfer fordert' (claims victims).
Das Unglück geschah am frühen Morgen auf der Autobahn.
The accident happened early in the morning on the highway.
There are well-known proverbs with 'Unglück'. 'Ein Unglück kommt selten allein' means that several bad things often happen in quick succession.
Zuerst verlor er seinen Job und dann wurde sein Auto gestohlen. Ein Unglück kommt selten allein.
First he lost his job, and then his car was stolen. Misfortunes never come singly.
accident
Both words can refer to a sudden event involving harm or suffering. Unfall emphasizes that the event happened unintentionally, while Unglück places more emphasis on the terrible result or the suffering endured. Use Unfall when focusing on the cause and Unglück when the consequences are the focus.
Nach dem Unglück trauerte die ganze Familie um den verletzten Vater.
After the tragedy, the whole family mourned the injured father.
Der Unfall passierte, weil der Fahrer auf der nassen Straße die Kontrolle verlor.
The accident happened because the driver lost control on the wet road.
