Unfall

German

Etymology

From Middle High German unval, ungeval. Analysable as un- (“bad, grave”) +‎ Fall (“case, situation”). Compare Dutch ongeval.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈʊnˌfal/
  • Audio (Germany (Berlin)):(file)

Noun

Unfall m (strong, genitive Unfalles or Unfalls, plural Unfälle)

  1. accident
    Synonym: Unglück

Usage notes

  • A fatal accident is more likely to be called Unglück; see the latter for more.

Declension

Declension of Unfall [masculine, strong]
singular plural
indef. def. noun def. noun
nominative ein der Unfall die Unfälle
genitive eines des Unfalles, Unfalls der Unfälle
dative einem dem Unfall, Unfalle1 den Unfällen
accusative einen den Unfall die Unfälle

1Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

compound nouns beginning with Unfall
compound nouns ending with Unfall
verb
  • verunfallen

Further reading

  • “Unfall” in Duden online
  • “Unfall”, in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache‎[1] (in German)
  • “Unfall” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
  • Unfall on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia de
  • “Unfall”, in Cambridge German–English Dictionary‎[2]
  • “Unfall” in Collins German–English Dictionary

Hunsrik

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈunfal/

Noun

Unfall m (plural Unfell)

  1. accident

Further reading