car accident
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car accident
An unforeseen event in road traffic in which at least one car is involved and which results in property damage or personal injury.
Gestern gab es auf der Autobahn einen schweren Autounfall mit mehreren Verletzten.
Yesterday there was a serious car accident on the highway with several people injured.
The word is composed of 'Auto' (car) and 'Unfall' (accident). An 'Unfall' is a sudden, harmful event, so 'Autounfall' describes exactly that in connection with a car.
Ein Autounfall ist immer ein schreckliches Ereignis.
A car accident is always a terrible event.
Common verbs used with 'Autounfall' (car accident) are 'einen Autounfall haben' (to have a car accident), 'einen Autounfall verursachen' (to cause a car accident), or 'in einen Autounfall verwickelt sein' (to be involved in a car accident).
Er war in einen leichten Autounfall verwickelt, aber niemand wurde verletzt.
He was involved in a minor car accident, but no one was injured.
To report an accident, the impersonal construction 'Es gab einen Autounfall' (There was a car accident) is often used. This emphasizes the event itself.
Auf der Landstraße gab es einen Autounfall, deshalb ist sie gesperrt.
There was a car accident on the country road, so it is closed.
accident
'Unfall' and 'Autounfall' both describe a sudden event involving damage or injury. 'Unfall' is more general and can happen in many areas, for example at home, at school, or during sports. 'Autounfall' is more specific: it refers to an accident in which at least one car is involved. Learners may confuse the words because a car accident is always also an accident. But an accident without a car is not an 'Autounfall'. If a car is important, you say 'Autounfall'; otherwise, 'Unfall' is enough.
Meine Nachbarin hatte gestern einen Autounfall auf dem Weg zur Arbeit.
My neighbor had a car accident yesterday on her way to work.
Vor dem Training passierte ein Unfall in der Sporthalle.
Before training, there was an accident in the sports hall.