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.
coma
Colloquial and figurative for a state of complete inactivity, exhaustion, or apathy. Often used in the expression 'Fresskoma' (food coma).
Nach dem üppigen Weihnachtsessen fiel die ganze Familie ins Koma.
After the lavish Christmas dinner, the whole family fell into a food coma.
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.
fainting / powerlessness
Both das Koma and die Ohnmacht refer to a loss of consciousness. Fainting is usually brief and temporary, while a coma lasts a long time and the affected person cannot be awakened. Use Ohnmacht for a brief collapse and Koma for a prolonged state.
Nach dem schweren Unfall lag der Mann mehrere Tage im Koma und konnte nicht aufgeweckt werden.
After the serious accident, the man was in a coma for several days and could not be awakened.
Wegen der großen Hitze fiel die Frau kurz in Ohnmacht und kam schnell wieder zu sich.
Because of the intense heat, the woman briefly fainted and quickly came to again.
