die  Ungeduld

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ʊnɡəˈdʊlt/

⏳ What does Ungeduld mean?

Die Ungeduld is the German word for impatience. It describes the feeling or state of not being able or willing to wait. It signifies a lack of ability or readiness to calmly endure delays, difficulties, or suffering. It's the direct opposite of Geduld (patience).

It's an abstract noun, mostly used in the singular form. The article is always die (feminine).

• It describes an emotional state of discomfort while waiting.
• It can refer to a character trait (a person who is generally impatient).
• It can also denote the outward manifestation of this feeling (e.g., nervous fidgeting).

⚠️ Be careful: Don't confuse it with Ungedulden, which is a very rare, mostly poetic plural form hardly ever used in modern German.

📝 Grammar of Ungeduld under the microscope

The word "Ungeduld" is a feminine noun. The article is die. It is almost exclusively used in the singular.

Note: A plural form ("die Ungedulden") theoretically exists but is extremely rare and practically unused in modern German. Instead, people use descriptive phrases like "Momente der Ungeduld" (moments of impatience).

Example Sentences

1. Seine Ungeduld wuchs mit jeder Minute, die er warten musste.
   His impatience grew with every minute he had to wait.
2. Mit großer Ungeduld erwartete sie das Ergebnis der Prüfung.
   She awaited the exam result with great impatience.
3. Er versuchte, seine Ungeduld zu verbergen, aber seine zappelnden Füße verrieten ihn.
   He tried to hide his impatience, but his fidgeting feet gave him away.
4. Die Ungeduld ist keine gute Ratgeberin bei wichtigen Entscheidungen.
   Impatience is not a good advisor for important decisions.

💡 How to use Ungeduld correctly?

Ungeduld is used to express the feeling of not being able or willing to wait.

• Typical Contexts: Waiting (for people, events, results), slow progress, dealing with difficulties, expressing a character trait.
• Phrases: You can Ungeduld haben (have impatience / be impatient), Ungeduld zeigen (show impatience), von Ungeduld erfüllt sein (be filled with impatience), or seine Ungeduld kaum zügeln können (barely be able to restrain one's impatience). It's often used with prepositions: vor Ungeduld platzen (to burst with impatience), aus Ungeduld handeln (to act out of impatience).
• Distinction: While Ungeduld describes the absence of patience, related terms like Hast or Eile (haste, hurry) might emphasize the resulting quick action. Nervosität (nervousness) can be a symptom accompanying impatience.

Examples of typical situations:

• Stuck in traffic: "Seine Ungeduld am Steuer war offensichtlich." (His impatience behind the wheel was obvious.)
• Waiting for a reply: "Ihre Ungeduld wuchs, als die E-Mail nicht kam." (Her impatience grew when the email didn't arrive.)
• While learning: "Manchmal führt Ungeduld zu Flüchtigkeitsfehlern." (Sometimes impatience leads to careless mistakes.)

🧠 Mnemonics for Ungeduld

For the article (die): Think of feminine words often associated with emotion or states of being, maybe? Or imagine: "Die Lady can't wait, she has die Ungeduld." (A bit stereotypical, use with caution!). Alternatively, many abstract nouns ending in -d are feminine (like die Geduld, die Schuld, die Jugend).

For the meaning (Impatience): The word itself is a great clue! It starts with Un- (a negation prefix, like 'un-' in English) and contains Geduld (patience). So: Un-Geduld literally means 'Not-Patience' or 'Un-Patience'.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

Similar but different words:

🚨 Be careful to distinguish Ungeduld (the feeling/state) from words describing the action, like Hetze (frantic rush) or Drängeln (pushing, jostling).

😄 A little Joke

German: Fragt der Lehrer: "Fritzchen, kannst du mir einen Satz mit 'Ungeduld' bilden?" Fritzchen hibbelt auf seinem Stuhl hin und her: "Ja, Herr Lehrer! Wann ist endlich Pause?!"

English Translation: The teacher asks: "Freddy, can you make a sentence with 'impatience'?" Freddy fidgets back and forth on his chair: "Yes, teacher! When is break finally?!"

📜 A short Poem

German:
Die Uhr tickt langsam, viel zu sacht,
Die Ungeduld in mir erwacht.
Wann geht es los, wann ist es Zeit?
Mein Herz klopft schnell, zur Hast bereit.
Doch tief durchatmen wär' gescheit.

English Translation:
The clock ticks slowly, much too soft,
Impatience now awakes aloft.
When will it start, when is the time?
My heart beats fast, prepared to climb
Into a haste, though breath's sublime.

❓ Riddle Time

German:
Ich mag kein Warten, keine Ruh,
treib' dich zu schnellem Handeln zu.
Bin oft mit Zappeln, Seufzern nah,
bin Gegenteil von dem, was 'Geduld' war.

Wer bin ich?

English Translation:
I don't like waiting, find no peace,
I push you towards actions that increase
In speed. With fidgets, sighs, I'm near,
I'm the opposite of 'Patience', clear.

Who am I?

(Solution: die Ungeduld / impatience)

🧩 Word Components & More

Word Composition:

The word "Ungeduld" has a relatively simple structure:

• Un-: A prefix expressing negation or the opposite (like 'un-' in unhappy, unable).
• Geduld: The base word, meaning patience.

So, Ungeduld literally means "Not-Patience" or "Absence of Patience".

Interesting Note: Although Ungeduld is often seen as a negative trait, a small spark of it can sometimes be a driving force to get things done more quickly (as long as it doesn't lead to stress or mistakes!).