unvorstellbar

Unvorstellbar is a German adjective that expresses that something is beyond what one can imagine or comprehend. It is used to describe situations, events, or qualities that are exceptionally difficult to conceive, often with a sense of astonishment or shock. Common collocations include phrases like eine unvorstellbare Summe or unvorstellbar hohe Kosten.

Etymologically, unvorstellbar is formed from vorstellbar (capable of being imagined) with the negating prefix un-. It sits among related terms such as vorstellbar, unfassbar, and unglaublich, which convey related degrees of incredulity or scope. The nuance is that unvorstellbar focuses on cognitive impossibility to imagine something, rather than merely on emotional reaction.

Usage and register: the word is widely understood across the German-speaking world and appears in media, journalism, and literature to denote extreme or extraordinary scale. It can describe both concrete facts (for example, economic figures) and abstract concepts (for instance moral or existential questions). The adverbial form unvorstellbarerweise exists but is rare and somewhat stylistic.

Examples: Die Kosten sind unvorstellbar hoch. Es ist unvorstellbar, dass so etwas geschehen konnte. In journalism and storytelling, unvorstellbar is often used to convey the magnitude of a catastrophe or a surprising development.