Looking up...
Unsicherheit
/ˈʊnzɪçʀaɪ̯tʊŋ/
uncertainty
Die Unsicherheit über die Zukunft macht ihm Sorgen.
The uncertainty about the future worries him.
formal
The state of being uncertain; lack of certainty or confidence about a situation, outcome, or future event.
Sie fühlte eine tiefe Unsicherheit in sich aufsteigen.
She felt a deep uncertainty rising within her.
Often used to describe emotional states or psychological conditions regarding the future or one's own abilities.
Finance
formal
Instability or unpredictability in economic, political, or market conditions.
Die wirtschaftliche Unsicherheit führt zu vorsichtigen Investitionen.
Economic uncertainty leads to cautious investments.
Common in news and business contexts referring to market volatility or political instability.
neutral
Lack of physical stability; precariousness.
Die Unsicherheit der Leiter war gefährlich.
The ladder's instability was dangerous.
Less common, refers to physical objects that are not steady.
Collocations
große Unsicherheitgreat uncertaintyUnsicherheit herrschenuncertainty reigns / prevailsmit Unsicherheitwith uncertainty
Pro Tip
Distinguish from 'Unruhe'
'Unsicherheit' focuses on the lack of knowledge or stability (uncertainty), whereas 'Unruhe' focuses on the emotional agitation or restlessness resulting from it (restlessness/anxiety).
Gold Rule
Capitalization
Always capitalize 'Unsicherheit' because all German nouns are capitalized.
Word Origin
From 'unsicher' (uncertain) + suffix '-keit' (forming abstract nouns from adjectives). 'Un-' is a negative prefix, 'sicher' means safe/secure.
Usage Notes
Always capitalized as it is a noun. Used frequently in both emotional contexts (personal doubt) and macro contexts (economic/political instability).
Word Breakdown
un-
not / non-
prefixsicher
safe / secure / certain
root-keit
-ness / -ity (abstract noun suffix)
suffixDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch