infection
Loading your saved state.
infection
A contagious illness caused by pathogens such as viruses or bacteria. In everyday usage, the term often refers to a milder, temporary illness such as a cold or a flu-like infection.
Wegen eines grippalen Infekts musste sie eine Woche zu Hause bleiben.
Because of a flu-like infection, she had to stay home for a week.
'Der Infekt' (infection) is a common short form of the longer word 'die Infektion' (infection). While 'Infektion' often describes a more serious or more specific infection, 'Infekt' is used in everyday language for milder illnesses.
Ich glaube, ich bekomme einen Infekt, mein Hals kratzt schon.
I think I'm coming down with an infection; my throat is already scratchy.
The combination 'grippaler Infekt' (flu-like infection) is very common and describes a cold or a mild flu. Typical verbs are 'sich einen Infekt einfangen/zuziehen' (to catch/pick up an infection) or 'einen Infekt auskurieren' (to fully recover from an infection).
Zieh dich warm an, damit du dir keinen Infekt einfängst.
Dress warmly so you don't catch an infection.
'Infekt' (infection) is a very common word when talking about an unspecified, milder illness. It is often used when you do not know exactly whether it is a cold, the flu, or something else.
Viele Kinder im Kindergarten haben gerade einen Magen-Darm-Infekt.
Many children in the kindergarten currently have a gastrointestinal infection.
infection
Infektion primarily refers to the entry and multiplication of pathogens, but it can also mean the illness they cause. Infekt more often refers to a specific episode of illness and is commonly used in everyday speech for a milder, temporary illness. However, this tendency is not a fixed rule.
Wegen eines leichten Infekts bleibt sie heute zu Hause.
She is staying home today because of a mild infection.
Der Labortest bestätigt eine Infektion mit dem Virus.
The lab test confirms an infection with the virus.
