diabetes
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diabetes
A metabolic disease in which the blood sugar level is elevated (diabetes mellitus). This is by far the most common and generally known meaning of the word.
Wegen seiner Diabetes muss er sich täglich Insulin spritzen.
Because of his diabetes, he has to inject himself with insulin every day.
To express that someone has this disease, you use the verb 'haben' (to have), e.g. 'sie hat Diabetes' (she has diabetes), or the phrase 'an etwas leiden' (to suffer from something), e.g. 'er leidet an Diabetes' (he suffers from diabetes).
Seit wann haben Sie Diabetes?
How long have you had diabetes?
As with many disease names, 'Diabetes' is often used without an article, especially after verbs like 'haben' (to have) or prepositions like 'an' (from/of) or 'wegen' (because of).
Wegen Diabetes muss sie auf ihre Ernährung achten.
Because of diabetes, she has to pay attention to her diet.
In everyday language, the disease is very often called 'die Zuckerkrankheit' (sugar disease). This name is less medical and describes the main characteristic of the disease, elevated blood sugar.
Meine Großmutter nannte Diabetes immer nur die Zuckerkrankheit.
My grandmother always just called diabetes 'die Zuckerkrankheit' (sugar disease).
The second, more general meaning of diabetes as an umbrella term is purely technical language. In normal usage outside medicine, you will not encounter this meaning.
Der Arzt erklärte, dass es verschiedene Formen der Diabetes gibt.
The doctor explained that there are different forms of diabetes.