prison sentence
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prison sentence
A punishment imposed by a court for a crime, which consists of being locked up in a prison for a certain period of time.
Der Angeklagte wurde zu einer Gefängnisstrafe von drei Jahren ohne Bewährung verurteilt.
The defendant was sentenced to a three-year prison sentence without probation.
This word is a clear compound made up of 'das Gefängnis' (prison) and 'die Strafe' (punishment/sentence). So it literally means a punishment that consists of time spent in prison.
Eine Gefängnisstrafe ist die härteste Konsequenz für viele Straftaten.
A prison sentence is the harshest consequence for many crimes.
In legal contexts, there are fixed verbs for this noun: you are 'zu einer Gefängnisstrafe verurteilt' (sentenced to a prison sentence), you 'bekommt' (get) one, and you have to 'verbüßen' or 'absitzen' (serve) it.
Er muss eine zweijährige Gefängnisstrafe absitzen.
He has to serve a two-year prison sentence.
The length of the sentence is given with the preposition 'von' (of/for). The sentencing itself is expressed with 'zu' (to).
Sie wurde zu einer Gefängnisstrafe von fünf Jahren verurteilt.
She was sentenced to a five-year prison sentence.
prison
'das Gefängnis' and 'die Gefängnisstrafe' are closely related, but they do not mean exactly the same thing. 'Gefängnis' can be the place where someone is locked up, or more generally the punishment of being in prison. 'Gefängnisstrafe' refers more specifically to the sentence imposed by a court. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with imprisonment. If you are talking about the building, use 'Gefängnis'. If you are talking about the judgment and the length of the sentence, 'Gefängnisstrafe' is more precise.
Der Richter verhängt eine Gefängnisstrafe von zwei Jahren.
The judge imposes a prison sentence of two years.
Vor dem Gefängnis warteten mehrere Journalisten auf eine Erklärung.
Several journalists waited outside the prison for a statement.