01
das Unwissen
ignorance
The state of not knowing something or of having no knowledge in a particular area.
example
Aus reinem Unwissen hat er einen schweren Fehler gemacht.
Out of pure ignorance, he made a serious mistake.
das Unwissen
ignorance
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word structure
The word consists of the prefix 'Un-', which expresses negation, and the noun 'Wissen' (knowledge). 'Unwissen' (ignorance) therefore literally means 'not-knowing' or 'lack of knowledge'.
EXAMPLE
Sein Unwissen über die Regeln führte zu Problemen.
His ignorance of the rules led to problems.
Use with "aus"
To state the reason for an action, 'Unwissen' (ignorance) is very often combined with the preposition 'aus' (out of). The phrase 'aus Unwissen' means 'because one did not know'.
EXAMPLE
Er hat die Pflanze aus Unwissen falsch gegossen.
He watered the plant incorrectly out of ignorance.
Fixed expression
There is a well-known German proverb: 'Unwissenheit schützt vor Strafe nicht.' It means that you are still responsible for a mistake even if you did not know it was a mistake.
EXAMPLE
Er wusste nicht, dass Parken hier verboten ist, aber Unwissenheit schützt vor Strafe nicht.
He did not know that parking is forbidden here, but ignorance is no excuse.
Compare with
Unwissen vs Kenntnis
knowledge
'Kenntnis' and 'Unwissen' are opposites. 'Kenntnis' means that someone knows something, is informed, or has skills in a particular area. 'Unwissen' means that this knowledge is missing. So the difference is simple: with 'Kenntnis', information is present; with 'Unwissen', it is not. 'Kenntnis' can generally refer to specialist knowledge or, in formal contexts, mean that you are informed about something. 'Unwissen' describes the state of not knowing something.
Unwissen
Marias Unwissen über die neuen Regeln führt beim Training zu Problemen.
Maria's ignorance of the new rules causes problems during training.
Kenntnis
Vor dem Termin haben die Gäste genaue Kenntnis von den Kosten.
Before the appointment, the guests have precise knowledge of the costs.
In real life
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