affect / emotional state
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affect
A brief but very intense emotional state such as anger, fear, or joy, which can impair rational thinking. The term is often used in psychology and law.
Der Angeklagte gab an, die Tat im Affekt begangen zu haben.
The defendant stated that he had committed the act in a state of affect.
'Der Affekt' (affect) refers to a sudden, intense emotional state such as anger or panic. Do not confuse it with the English word 'affection', which means 'Zuneigung' (affection) or 'Liebe' (love).
Er handelte aus reiner Wut, es war eine Tat im Affekt.
He acted out of pure anger; it was an act committed in a state of affect.
'Affekt' (affect) is a technical term from psychology and law. In everyday language, people are more likely to speak of 'Wut' (anger), 'Zorn' (rage), 'Panik' (panic), or a 'Gefühlsausbruch' (emotional outburst).
Vor Gericht wurde geprüft, ob der Täter im Affekt gehandelt hat.
In court, it was examined whether the perpetrator had acted in a state of affect.
The most common and important use is the fixed expression 'im Affekt' (in a state of affect). It describes an action that happens uncontrollably out of a strong emotion.
Sie hat die Vase im Affekt an die Wand geworfen.
She threw the vase against the wall in a state of affect.
feeling / sense
'das Gefühl' and 'der Affekt' both have to do with emotions. 'das Gefühl' is the normal, broad word for inner feelings such as joy, sadness, fear, or anger. 'der Affekt' means a very strong and usually brief emotional state in which someone no longer reacts calmly or rationally. The word is often used in psychology or law and sounds much more technical. Learners may confuse the words because an affect is also a feeling. But not every feeling is an affect: an affect is especially intense and strongly influences thinking.
Im Affekt schrie er seinen Kollegen an und bereute es später.
In a state of affect, he yelled at his colleague and regretted it later.
Das Kind zeigt deutlich, welches Gefühl es gerade hat.
The child clearly shows what feeling they have at the moment.