21 December 2025
How do you talk about Misfortune in German?
It’s what we try to avoid, what headlines warn us about, and what sometimes brings people together in sympathy. In German, it’s das Unglück. This is your German word of the day, and it’s a powerful term used to describe accidents, bad luck, and unfortunate events - both big and small.
The noun Unglück means misfortune, accident, or disaster, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. You’ll encounter it in news reports, daily conversation, and traditional sayings.
It’s a neuter noun, so we say das Unglück (want to finally get gender under control? Our video lesson makes it fast and intuitive).
Pronunciation
Unglück is pronounced [UN-glück].
- Un - short u, as in “put” (not “oon”),
- glück rhymes with “click” but with a rounded ü sound
- Stress is on the first syllable: UN-glück
It sounds weighty and serious - like the events it often describes.
Example sentences:
Zum Glück ist beim Unglück niemand verletzt worden.Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident.
Sie hatte viel Unglück in ihrem Leben.She had a lot of misfortune in her life.
Nuance and usage tips
Unglück can describe both personal misfortune (bad luck, emotional hardship) and events like accidents or disasters:
- Personal / emotional:
- ein Leben voller Unglück - a life full of sorrow
- von Unglück verfolgt - plagued by misfortune
- Physical / external:
- ein schweres Unglück - a serious accident
- Bergungsarbeiten nach dem Unglück - recovery work after the disaster
Phrases to know:
- Unglück haben - to have bad luck
- ein Unglück passiert - an accident occurs
- im Unglück beistehen - to support someone in a time of misfortune
How does this word come up in real conversations?
You’ll hear Unglück in news stories, personal anecdotes, or expressions of sympathy:
“Das war ein tragisches Unglück.” - That was a tragic accident.“Sie haben alles verloren - so viel Unglück!” - They lost everything - such misfortune!
It’s also part of common expressions:
- „Ein Unglück kommt selten allein.” - Misfortunes never come singly.
„Glück im Unglück haben“ - to be lucky in spite of it all - “Da ist ein Unglück passiert!” - Something bad has happened!
Sample Dialogue (Beginner Level)
Jonas: Hast du von dem Unfall gehört?Mira: Ja… ein echtes Unglück.Jonas: Die Straße war glatt.Mira: Zum Glück ist niemand gestorben.
Jonas: Did you hear about the accident?Mira: Yeah… a real misfortune.Jonas: The road was slippery.Mira: Luckily, no one died.
Grammatical case examples:
Nominative:Das Unglück war nicht vorhersehbar.The disaster was not foreseeable.
Accusative:Wir haben das Unglück nicht verhindern können.We couldn’t prevent the disaster.
Dative:Nach dem Unglück wurde Hilfe organisiert.Help was organized after the accident.
Genitive:Die Ursache des Unglücks ist noch unklar.The cause of the disaster is still unclear.
Neuter case pattern: das, das, dem, des
Word variations and language tidbits
Related words and expressions:
- Verkehrsunglück - traffic accident
- Naturunglück - natural disaster
- Flugzeugunglück - plane crash
- Unglücksrabe - unlucky person (literally “misfortune raven”)
- Unglücksfall - unfortunate incident
Note: The opposite of Unglück is Glück - which means luck, happiness, or success depending on the context. Just like in English, the two are often paired in contrast.
📘 Duden entry🎥 Want to learn German words that are truly useful in real life? Our free video course teaches the top 1000 nouns with examples, visuals, and grammar hacks that help them stick.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?Do you know what Universum means? It might be bigger than you think.And what about Unsinn? It means nonsense or foolishness.
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