ungeduldig

Ungeduldig is a German adjective meaning impatient. It describes a person who has little patience and tends to react quickly with irritation when faced with delays, slow progress, or uncertain outcomes. The term often carries a negative evaluation of temperament, but it can also refer to a temporary state of frustration.

Etymology and formation: Ungeduldig is formed from the noun Geduld (patience) with the negating prefix un-. The base adjective geduldig comes from older Germanic roots related to endurance and tolerance. In usage, ungeduldig is the standard antonym of geduldig.

Usage and grammar: Ungeduldig can be used attributively or predicatively. Examples: Sie ist ungeduldig. (She is impatient.) Eine ungeduldige Person (a patient? no, an impatient person). Adverbially it also appears as ungeduldig: Sie wartete ungeduldig auf die Ergebnisse. The comparative form is ungeduldiger, and the superlative is am ungeduldigsten.

Context and nuance: The word is common in everyday language and appears in personal descriptions, journalism, and fiction. It can describe temperament, but is often tied to specific situations (waiting times, deadlines, obstacles). Related terms include Geduld (patience) and geduldig (patient).

See also: Geduld, geduldig, ungeduldige Reaktionen, impatience in German-language usage.