die Erkrankung
illness
The state of being sick; a specific disease or ailment.
EXAMPLE
Die Grippe ist eine ansteckende Erkrankung der Atemwege.
The flu is a contagious illness of the respiratory tract.
die Erkrankung
illness
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Meanings
die Erkrankung
onset of illness
The process of becoming ill; the beginning and course of an illness.
EXAMPLE
Die Erkrankung begann schleichend mit Müdigkeit und leichtem Fieber.
The illness began gradually with fatigue and a slight fever.
Usage tips
Word structure
The noun 'Erkrankung' (illness) comes from the verb 'erkranken' (to fall ill). The prefix 'er-' often indicates the beginning of a process (becoming sick), and the ending '-ung' turns the verb into a noun.
EXAMPLE
Nach seiner schweren Erkrankung musste er sich lange erholen.
After his serious illness, he had to recover for a long time.
Register
The word 'Erkrankung' (illness) is often used in medical, scientific, or formal contexts. It often sounds more official than the word 'Krankheit' (disease/illness).
EXAMPLE
Der Arzt diagnostizierte eine seltene Erkrankung des Immunsystems.
The doctor diagnosed a rare illness of the immune system.
Typical adjectives
'Erkrankung' (illness) is often combined with adjectives that describe severity or course, for example: 'eine schwere Erkrankung' (a serious illness), 'eine chronische Erkrankung' (a chronic illness), or 'eine psychische Erkrankung' (a mental illness).
EXAMPLE
Krebs ist eine ernsthafte Erkrankung, die früh erkannt werden sollte.
Cancer is a serious illness that should be detected early.
Sentence structure with genitive
To describe which body part or system is affected, the genitive is often used. This sounds very precise and is common in specialist texts.
EXAMPLE
Er leidet an einer Erkrankung der Atemwege.
He suffers from an illness of the respiratory tract.
Compare with
Erkrankung vs Krankheit
illness / disease
„Die Krankheit“ and „die Erkrankung“ can both refer to a specific health condition. „Krankheit“ is more common in everyday language and can sound more strongly associated with suffering, while „Erkrankung“ often sounds more medical or formal. „Erkrankung“ is therefore often a good fit in a medical report, while „Krankheit“ can also be used in conversation.
Erkrankung
Der Arzt erklärte mir die Erkrankung und ihren weiteren Verlauf.
The doctor explained the illness and how it would progress.
Krankheit
Meine Krankheit macht es mir schwer, jeden Tag zur Arbeit zu gehen.
My illness makes it difficult for me to go to work every day.
In real life
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