impact
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impact
The sudden and forceful collision of a moving body with another body or a solid surface; a collision.
Der Fahrer wurde durch den Airbag vor schweren Verletzungen beim Aufprall geschützt.
The driver was protected by the airbag from serious injuries during the impact.
The noun 'der Aufprall' (impact) is derived directly from the separable verb 'aufprallen' (to crash into / to hit). The verb describes the action ('Das Auto prallt auf die Mauer auf.' — The car crashes into the wall.), while the noun describes the event ('Der Aufprall war heftig.' — The impact was violent.).
Der Ball prallte von der Wand ab.
The ball bounced off the wall.
To describe the force of the impact, adjectives such as 'heftig' (violent), 'hart' (hard), 'schwer' (severe), or 'sanft' (gentle) are often used.
Es war nur ein sanfter Aufprall, daher gab es keinen Schaden.
It was only a gentle impact, so there was no damage.
To describe the time, you use 'beim Aufprall' (on impact / during the impact) with the dative. To describe the target that something hits, you use 'auf' (onto/against) with the accusative.
Beim Aufprall wurde das vordere Licht des Autos zerstört.
On impact, the car's front light was destroyed.
push / stack / collision
Both Stoß and Aufprall can describe a body hitting something with force. Aufprall focuses especially on the moment of impact, while Stoß can also emphasize the brief mechanical interaction or the resulting jolt. Aufprall often fits when something hits a surface; Stoß is more suitable when the focus is on the force exerted.
Beim Aufprall des Balls auf die Wand sprang er direkt zurück.
When the ball hit the wall, it bounced straight back.
Der Stoß gegen die Wand erschütterte das ganze Regal.
The impact against the wall shook the entire shelf.
