unfähig

\ʊnfɛːɪç\

/\ʊnfɛːɪç\/ adj

The verdict

“unfähig” is uncommon French (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency French
7
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Incompétent.

Corpus desk

Index FR-unfahig · unfähig · French

unfähig · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-LONG 7 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "U" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for unfähig
PropertyValue
Headwordunfähig
LanguageFrench
Part of speechAdjective
IPA\ʊnfɛːɪç\
Letters7
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Longue queue: rang de « unfähig » en français

unfähign'entre pas dans le top 100.000 du français: zone de termes techniques, archaïques ou rares.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

unfähig is uncommon French outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed \ʊnfɛːɪç\. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for unfähig, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

This entry's etymology isn't recorded, so spelling patterns must be inferred from the word's phoneme-to-grapheme mapping rather than from a documented borrowing chain. The correct French form is unfähig, spelled U-N-F-Ä-H-I-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Incompétent.
  2. 2
    Hors d'état, incapable de.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how unfähig appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Die neue Mitarbeiterin ist völlig unfähig.
  2. Er ist dreiundvierzig Jahre alt, fünfzehn davon hat er mit dem Schreiben verbracht, und die kleine Welt der Literatur erscheint ihm wie ein burlesker Zug, in dem sich Betrüger ohne Fahrschein und mit unfähigen Kontrolleuren als Komplizen lautstark in der ersten Klasse niederlassen (...)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "unfähig"?
"unfähig" is spelled U-N-F-Ä-H-I-G. The IPA pronunciation is \ʊnfɛːɪç\.
What does "unfähig" mean?
As an adjective, "unfähig" means: Incompétent.
How do you pronounce "unfähig"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "unfähig" is \ʊnfɛːɪç\. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What language does "unfähig" come from?
"unfähig" is a French word. PlainSpell covers definitions, pronunciations, and spelling data across English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and German.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list