ungewollte

Ungewollte is a German adjective meaning unwanted or undesired. It is used to describe things that are not desired or planned, such as pregnancies, consequences, side effects, or outcomes. The term is common in medical, social, and everyday language and can appear in both formal and informal contexts.

Etymology and usage: Ungewollte derives from un- plus gewollt (wanted), literally “not wanted.” As an attributive adjective, it agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case. For feminine singular nouns in nominative or accusative, the form is ungewollte, for example eine ungewollte Folge. In plural nominative or accusative without an article, ungewollte is also used (ungewollte Folgen). The masculine and neuter forms appear as ungewollter and ungewolltes, respectively, in corresponding declensions (e.g., ein ungewollter Fehler, ein ungewolltes Ergebnis; die ungewollten Folgen).

Common contexts: The adjective frequently describes outcomes that were not intended or desired. Typical collocations include ungewollte Schwangerschaft (unwanted pregnancy), ungewollte Nebenwirkungen (unwanted side effects), and ungewollte Folgen (unwanted consequences). The term carries a neutral to negative valence and is used across clinical, legal, and social discussions when something was not foreseen or not wished for.

See also: The concept of desirability or intentionality in German is often contrasted with terms like geplant (planned) or erwünscht (desired). In medical and policy writing, klare Abgrenzung between gewollt and ungewollt helps frame risks, outcomes, and ethical considerations.