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 sentence
Freiheitsstrafe and Gefängnisstrafe both refer to a court-imposed punishment involving deprivation of freedom. Freiheitsstrafe places the deprivation of freedom at the center, while Gefängnisstrafe vividly emphasizes that the convicted person is locked up in prison.
Das Gericht verurteilte den Täter zu einer Gefängnisstrafe von drei Jahren.
The court sentenced the offender to three years in prison.
Das Gericht verurteilte den Täter zu einer Freiheitsstrafe von drei Jahren.
The court sentenced the offender to three years in prison.
