Which to use
“unfähig” and “unruhig” are a confusable German pair: similar on the page, but distinct in meaning, check the gloss before you choose.
- #10,957
- “unfähig” frequency rank
- #16,308
- “unruhig” frequency rank
- 27265
- confusion score
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | unfähig | unruhig |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | nicht die nötigen Kenntnisse oder Fertigkeiten für die Erfüllung einer Aufgabe habend; einer Tätigkeit nicht gewachsen | nervös, nicht gelassen |
Where the spellings diverge
Shared letters are muted; the letters that actually set unfähig and unruhig apart are highlighted. They share 5 letters in sequence, which is exactly why the eye skips the difference.
Spelling & Dictionary Insight
unfähig and unruhig form a confusable pair in the German index, two distinct headwords that are easily confused because they look alike, sound alike, or both. They share most of their letters but differ in 2 positions - close enough that the eye skips over the difference, far enough that meaning fully diverges. Our composite confusion score for this pair is 27265, derived from the frequency rank of both members and their visual similarity.
unfähig is recorded at frequency rank #10,957, classified as anadj, pronounced [ˈʊnˌfɛːɪç]. unruhig is at rank #16,308, tagged as anadj, pronounced [ˈʊnʁuːɪç].
Glosses for this pair are partially populated in our dataset, but the full side-by-side definitions above should still guide you to the right choice.
With a confusion score of 27265, this pair ranks #1,804,583 of 2,006,359 scored German confusable pairs - a relatively easy-to-tell-apart pair.
Frequency comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
Can "unfähig" and "unruhig" be used interchangeably?
Remembering unfähig vs unruhig
The fastest way to pick the right one every time.
- Read both glosses above and match the meaning you intend, only context separates this pair.
- See each word in full, definition, IPA, etymology and its other confusables. Full “unfähig” entry
- Browse more pairs most likely to be confused. Most confusable