01
untreu
unfaithful
Describes a person who breaks sexual or emotional fidelity in a romantic relationship or marriage.
example
Sie hat herausgefunden, dass ihr Partner ihr untreu war.
She found out that her partner had been unfaithful to her.
untreu
unfaithful
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Word structure
The adjective is made up of the negating prefix 'un-' and the adjective 'treu' (loyal, faithful). So 'untreu' is the direct opposite and means 'illoyal' or 'unfaithful.'
EXAMPLE
Wer seine Freunde im Stich lässt, ist untreu.
Someone who abandons their friends is disloyal.
Dative construction
The adjective 'untreu' is almost always used with the dative. The person, thing, or idea toward which someone is unfaithful or disloyal is in the dative. The pattern is: Jemand ist jemandem/etwas untreu (Someone is unfaithful/disloyal to someone/something).
EXAMPLE
Er wurde seinen Prinzipien untreu, um Karriere zu machen.
He became disloyal to his principles in order to advance his career.
Context clue: relationship
In everyday language, 'untreu' usually means infidelity in a romantic relationship. The context is then partners, marriage, or love. The person who is cheated on is in the dative.
EXAMPLE
Er war seiner Frau schon seit Jahren untreu.
He had been unfaithful to his wife for years.
Context clue: ideals
When 'untreu' does not refer to a person but to abstract things, the general meaning is 'illoyal.' Typical objects in the dative are then 'sich selbst' (oneself), 'seinen Idealen' (one's ideals), 'einer Sache' (a cause), or 'einer Überzeugung' (a conviction).
EXAMPLE
Die Politikerin wurde ihrer Partei untreu und wechselte die Seite.
The politician became disloyal to her party and switched sides.
Context clue: law
In legal or business texts, 'untreu' has a very specific meaning. It describes the criminal offense of misappropriating entrusted assets. The related noun is 'die Untreue' (breach of trust).
EXAMPLE
Der Geschäftsführer wurde angeklagt, weil er dem Unternehmen gegenüber untreu gehandelt hatte.
The managing director was charged because he had acted in breach of trust toward the company.
Compare with
untreu vs treu
loyal / faithful
'treu' and 'untreu' are opposites when it comes to loyalty and relationships. 'treu' means that someone stands by a person, a promise, or a cause and does not turn away from it. 'untreu' means that someone breaks that faithfulness. In romantic relationships, 'untreu' often means that someone cheats on their partner. In other situations, it can also mean that someone does not remain loyal to a person, idea, or promise.
untreu
Nach dem Streit erfuhr sie, dass ihr Partner untreu gewesen war.
After the argument, she found out that her partner had been unfaithful.
treu
Sie vertraut ihm, weil er immer treu und ehrlich war.
She trusts him because he has always been faithful and honest.
In real life
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