seizure / fit / attack
Loading your saved state.
seizure
A sudden, short episode of an illness, often associated with convulsions, pain, or loss of consciousness.
Der Arzt erklärte, wie man sich bei einem epileptischen Anfall verhalten soll.
The doctor explained how to behave during an epileptic seizure.
fit / outburst
A sudden, uncontrolled outburst of a strong emotion such as anger, laughter, or crying.
Das Kind bekam einen Wutanfall, weil es kein Eis bekam.
The child had a fit of rage because it didn't get any ice cream.
bout / spell
A sudden, short-lasting occurrence of something, for example weakness or tiredness.
Mitten am Nachmittag überkam ihn ein Anfall von Müdigkeit.
In the middle of the afternoon, he was overcome by a bout of tiredness.
'Der Anfall' (the seizure/fit/attack) is derived from the verb 'anfallen', which can mean 'to come over someone suddenly' or 'to attack'. The noun therefore describes a sudden, often intense event.
Plötzlich fiel ihn eine große Müdigkeit an.
Suddenly, a great tiredness came over him.
'Anfall' (seizure/fit/attack) is often used together with the verbs 'haben' (to have), 'bekommen' (to get), or 'erleiden' (to suffer).
Während des Fluges bekam der Passagier einen Schwächeanfall.
During the flight, the passenger had a fainting spell.
The medical meaning can often be recognized by its combination with an illness or an organ. Typical examples include 'Asthmaanfall' (asthma attack), 'Herzanfall' (heart attack), or 'epileptischer Anfall' (epileptic seizure).
Bei einem Asthmaanfall ist schnelle Hilfe wichtig.
During an asthma attack, quick help is important.
With emotional outbursts, 'Anfall' (fit/outburst) is often used as part of a compound noun. The most common are 'Wutanfall' (fit of rage/tantrum), 'Lachanfall' (fit of laughter), and 'Heulanfall' (crying fit).
Die Komödie war so lustig, dass ich einen Lachanfall bekam.
The comedy was so funny that I got a fit of laughter.
To describe a sudden, short state, the structure 'ein Anfall von + noun' (a bout/spell of + noun) is often used. The noun usually appears without an article.
Nach dem Mittagessen überkam mich ein Anfall von Faulheit.
After lunch, I was overcome by a bout of laziness.
attack
Both words can refer to a sudden, severe episode. In present-day German, Anfall is usually the natural and established term for this, especially for illnesses. Angriff also occurs in certain expressions, but it sounds more marked there, so check the usual collocation with the illness in question.
Ein plötzlicher Migräneanfall zwang ihn, die Arbeit abzubrechen.
A sudden migraine attack forced him to stop working.
Ein plötzlicher Angriff der Migräne zwang ihn, die Arbeit abzubrechen.
A sudden attack of migraine forced him to stop working.
