noun
misfortune, accident
B1
Unglück (das) means 'misfortune' or 'accident'. Neuter noun; genitive singular 'des Unglücks', plural 'Unglücke'. Dative plural: 'den Unglücken'. Can refer to an unlucky event or a physical accident. Regular plural formation with Umlaut + -e. Not irregular beyond that. Used in phrases like 'Zum Unglück' (unfortunately) or 'ein großes Unglück'.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.EXAMPLES
Das war ein großes Unglück für die Familie.
That was a terrible misfortune for the family.
Nach dem Unglück am Hafen nahm die Polizei die Ermittlungen auf, weil mehrere Menschen verletzt wurden und Zeugen Auskunft gaben.
After the accident at the harbor, the police began investigations because several people were injured and witnesses gave statements.
Er hatte gestern ein Unglück auf der Autobahn.
He had an accident on the highway yesterday.
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VOCABULARY.DETAILS.MNEMONICS
Imagine a broken four-leaf clover to symbolize lost luck.
un-luck — like 'bad luck' in English, which helps recall Unglück = misfortune/accident.
Think of a neutral (das) box holding unlucky items — 'das' is neuter.
VOCABULARY.DETAILS.NOTES
Unglück can mean both a misfortune (bad event) or an accident (e.g., Verkehrsunfall). The genitive is often 'des Unglücks'.