01
unregelmäßig
irregular
Not occurring at equal, fixed intervals; varying in time or sequence.
example
Die Busse auf dieser Linie fahren sehr unregelmäßig.
The buses on this route run very irregularly.
unregelmäßig
irregular
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Meanings
01 / 03
Usage tips
Word structure
The word consists of the prefix 'un-' (not) and the adjective 'regelmäßig' (regular). 'Regelmäßig' comes from 'die Regel' (the rule). 'Unregelmäßig' (irregular) therefore means that something does not follow a rule, pattern, or norm.
EXAMPLE
Sein Puls war nach dem Sport schnell und unregelmäßig.
His pulse was fast and irregular after exercising.
Adjective and adverb
'Unregelmäßig' (irregular/irregularly) can stand as an adjective before a noun or as an adverb that describes a verb. As an adverb, it often stands after the verb and remains unchanged.
EXAMPLE
Er hat eine sehr unregelmäßige Handschrift.
He has very irregular handwriting.
Typical collocations: Time
When it is about time or a sequence, 'unregelmäßig' (irregular) is often combined with nouns such as 'Abstände' (intervals), 'Arbeitszeiten' (working hours), or 'Mahlzeiten' (meals). It describes that something does not happen predictably or rhythmically.
EXAMPLE
Wegen seiner unregelmäßigen Arbeitszeiten kann er schlecht planen.
Because of his irregular working hours, he cannot plan well.
Context: Grammar
In the context of grammar, 'unregelmäßig' (irregular) is a very important term for German learners. It describes verbs, nouns, or adjectives that do not change according to the standard rules. The most common combination is 'unregelmäßiges Verb' (irregular verb).
EXAMPLE
Viele häufige Verben im Deutschen sind unregelmäßig, zum Beispiel ‚sein‘, ‚haben‘ und ‚werden‘.
Many common verbs in German are irregular, for example 'sein' (to be), 'haben' (to have), and 'werden' (to become).
Compare with
unregelmäßig vs stark
strong
'stark' and 'unregelmäßig' can both describe verbs in grammar that are not formed entirely according to the normal pattern. The difference is: 'stark' is a specific grammatical term for verbs that change their stem vowel in the simple past or past participle, for example 'singen – sang – gesungen' (to sing – sang – sung). 'unregelmäßig' is more general and means any deviation from normal forms. Learners may confuse the words because many strong verbs also seem irregular. In practice: in German lessons, people often talk about 'starke Verben' (strong verbs) when the focus is on the vowel change; 'unregelmäßig' fits when you want to say generally that a form is not regular.
unregelmäßig
Das Verb „sein“ ist unregelmäßig, deshalb muss man seine Formen besonders üben.
The verb 'sein' is irregular, so you have to practice its forms especially carefully.
stark
Für den Test wiederholen wir heute starke Verben wie „fahren“ und „finden“.
For the test, we are reviewing strong verbs like 'fahren' and 'finden' today.
In real life
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