adjective

ungeschehen

undone · undo

Wenn man sich wünscht, dass eine Tat oder ein Ereignis aus der Vergangenheit niemals passiert wäre.

ungeschehen means not having happened, or treated as if it had never happened.

It is commonly used in two related senses:

Not having occurred
- An event or action did not take place.
- Example: Der Vorfall blieb ungeschehen. — “The incident did not happen.”
Undone or reversed
- Something that has happened is erased or reversed in its consequences, although it cannot literally be erased from the past.
- Example: Er wollte seinen Fehler ungeschehen machen. — “He wanted to undo his mistake.”

The expression etwas ungeschehen machen therefore means to undo something, reverse it, or make it as though it had never happened.

ungeschehen is an adjective formed from:

It is related to the past participle geschehen , but ungeschehen is generally used as an adjective in fixed or predicative expressions.

Common grammatical patterns include:

etwas ungeschehen machen — to undo something
etwas als ungeschehen betrachten — to regard something as if it had never happened
etwas ungeschehen lassen — to leave something as though it had never happened

nicht geschehen — “not happened”; the most direct and neutral equivalent
nicht stattgefunden — “not taken place”; used especially for events, meetings, or activities
rückgängig gemacht — “reversed” or “undone”; emphasizes actively reversing a decision or action
aufgehoben — “cancelled” or “revoked”; usually applies to rules, decisions, or arrangements rather than past events

Unlike rückgängig gemacht , ungeschehen can suggest the impossible wish to erase the past entirely.

etwas ungeschehen machen — to undo something
etwas als ungeschehen betrachten — to regard something as if it had never happened
etwas ungeschehen lassen — to let something pass as though it had not happened
Das lässt sich nicht ungeschehen machen. — “That cannot be undone.”
Was geschehen ist, ist geschehen. — “What is done is done.”

Make “ungeschehen” part of your vocabulary.

Build your German vocabulary with flashcards, audio and spaced repetition.

Das lässt sich nicht ungeschehen machen.adjective

That cannot be made undone.

Den Fehler kann niemand ungeschehen machen.adjective

No one can undo the mistake.

Sie wollte den Streit ungeschehen machen, aber es war zu spät.adjective

She wanted to undo the argument, but it was too late.

Add words from websites, books and videos, then remember them with spaced repetition (SRS).