01
unordentlich
messy / untidy
Being in a state of disorder; not tidied up or clean. Often refers to rooms, desks, or the arrangement of things.
example
Sein Zimmer ist immer furchtbar unordentlich.
His room is always terribly messy.
unordentlich
messy / untidy
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
The word is made up of the negating prefix 'un-' and the adjective 'ordentlich' (tidy/neat). So it literally means 'not tidy' or 'not neat'.
EXAMPLE
Auf dem Schreibtisch lagen die Papiere in einem unordentlichen Haufen.
The papers were lying on the desk in a messy pile.
Context clue
The noun that 'unordentlich' (messy/untidy) describes reveals the exact meaning. Does it refer to a place (room, desk), a person ('er ist unordentlich' — he is messy), or appearance (hair, clothing)?
EXAMPLE
Sein unordentlicher Schreibtisch spiegelt sein kreatives Chaos wider.
His messy desk reflects his creative chaos.
Typical collocations
When referring to places or things, 'unordentlich' (messy/untidy) is often combined with words like 'Zimmer' (room), 'Wohnung' (apartment), 'Schreibtisch' (desk), or 'Haufen' (pile).
EXAMPLE
Ich muss dringend meine unordentliche Wohnung aufräumen.
I urgently need to tidy up my messy apartment.
Person vs. state
Pay attention to the difference: 'Sein Zimmer ist unordentlich' (His room is messy) describes the state of a place. 'Er ist unordentlich' (He is messy) describes a trait or habit of the person.
EXAMPLE
Obwohl sie sehr unordentlich ist, ist ihr Büro immer sauber.
Although she is very messy, her office is always clean.
Compare with
unordentlich vs ordentlich
neat / proper
'ordentlich' and 'unordentlich' are direct opposites. Use 'ordentlich' when something is tidy, clean, or well organized. Use 'unordentlich' when things are lying around, something does not look clean, or a person often does not keep things in order. With clothing or hair, 'unordentlich' can also mean that someone looks unkempt. 'ordentlich' then suggests a neat, well-groomed impression.
unordentlich
Nach dem Training sah seine Kleidung ziemlich unordentlich aus.
After training, his clothes looked quite messy.
ordentlich
Für den Besuch hat die Ärztin ihr Büro ordentlich vorbereitet.
The doctor prepared her office neatly for the visit.
In real life
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