coma
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coma
A state of deep and long-lasting unconsciousness caused by a serious illness or injury. A person in a coma cannot be awakened and does not respond to external stimuli.
Nach dem schweren Unfall lag der Patient wochenlang im Koma.
After the serious accident, the patient lay in a coma for weeks.
The word 'Koma' (coma) is often used in fixed expressions with the verbs 'liegen' (to lie/be), 'fallen' (to fall), and 'erwachen' (to awaken). You say 'im Koma liegen' (to be in a coma, state) or 'ins Koma fallen' (to fall into a coma, beginning of the state).
Der Patient liegt seit einer Woche im Koma.
The patient has been in a coma for a week.
In a medical context, there are fixed collocations. Doctors can 'in ein künstliches Koma versetzen' (put a patient into an induced coma). If the condition improves, the patient can 'aus dem Koma erwachen' (wake up from the coma).
Die Ärzte haben beschlossen, ihn in ein künstliches Koma zu versetzen.
The doctors decided to put him into an induced coma.
The figurative meaning of 'Koma' (coma) for extreme exhaustion is used only colloquially. The fixed expression 'Fresskoma' (food coma) is especially common after a very large meal.
Nach dem All-you-can-eat-Buffet waren wir alle im Fresskoma.
After the all-you-can-eat buffet, we were all in a food coma.
sleep
'der Schlaf' and 'das Koma' both describe states in which a person is not awake or does not seem active. The important difference is: sleep is normal and natural. You can usually wake up from it easily. A coma is a serious medical condition after an illness or injury; the person cannot simply be woken up. The words can be confused because both may involve closed eyes and little reaction. Colloquially, people sometimes also say things like 'Fresskoma' (food coma) when someone is very tired or sluggish. But that is not a real coma.
Nach dem schweren Unfall lag der Patient mehrere Tage im Koma.
After the serious accident, the patient lay in a coma for several days.
Nach der langen Reise war ihr Schlaf besonders tief.
After the long trip, her sleep was especially deep.