When you're not quite sure, when you're torn between options, or when your inner voice won't let something go—Germans call that Zweifel. It’s the word for hesitation, second-guessing, and that uncomfortable space between certainty and suspicion.

The noun Zweifel means doubt, and it’s used in emotional, intellectual, legal, and religious contexts alike. It's one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, making it a core word for talking about uncertainty in all its forms.

It’s a masculine noun, so we say der Zweifel.

Pronunciation

Zweifel is pronounced [TSVY-fel].

• The “Zw” makes a “tsv” sound—sharp and quick.

• The “ei” is like “eye,” and

• The “fel” rhymes with “fell.”

It’s a jagged-sounding word, almost like a stutter—very fitting for a concept that disrupts clear thinking.

Example sentences:

• Ich habe große Zweifel an seiner Geschichte.
  I have serious doubts about his story.

• Ohne jeden Zweifel war sie die Beste.
  Without any doubt, she was the best.

Nuance and usage tips

Zweifel is usually plural in feeling, even though it’s grammatically singular. You’ll often see the plural form Zweifel used (same spelling), even if you’re talking about just one doubt.

Common expressions include:

• Zweifel haben an + Dative – to have doubts about something

• im Zweifel sein – to be in doubt

• ohne Zweifel – without a doubt

• im Zweifelsfall – in case of doubt / when in doubt

The verb zweifeln (“to doubt”) pairs with an + Dative:

• Ich zweifle an seiner Ehrlichkeit. – “I doubt his honesty.”

A natural antonym is Gewissheit (feminine, die Gewissheit)—certainty or assurance.

Grammatical case examples:

• Nominative: Der Zweifel ließ ihn nicht los.
  The doubt wouldn’t let him go.

• Accusative: Ich konnte den Zweifel nicht unterdrücken.
  I couldn’t suppress the doubt.

• Dative: Mit dem Zweifel kam auch die Angst.
  With the doubt came fear.

• Genitive: Wegen des Zweifels sprach er nicht offen.
  Because of the doubt, he didn’t speak openly.

Masculine pattern: der, den, dem, des

Word variations and language tidbits

Variation Station:

• zweifeln – to doubt

• zweifelhaft – doubtful, questionable

• selbstzweifel – self-doubt

• Zweifelsfall – case of doubt

• ohne jeden Zweifel – beyond a doubt

And in the courtroom or legal contexts:

• im Zweifel für den Angeklagten – "when in doubt, for the accused" (German version of “innocent until proven guilty”)

📘 Duden entry: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibung/Zweifel

🎥 Learn Zweifel and the rest of the top 1000 German nouns in our free online video course:
https://deutschable.com/nouns/

Do you want more German words of the day? Do you know how to say opportunity in German? And do you know what a "Genie" is?