emergency situation
Loading your saved state.
emergency situation
A difficult, threatening, or dangerous situation in which a person or group urgently needs help. It can be financial, material, or personal in nature.
Durch den plötzlichen Jobverlust geriet die Familie in eine ernste finanzielle Notlage.
Because of the sudden job loss, the family fell into a serious financial emergency situation.
The word is composed of 'Not' (distress, hardship, lack) and 'Lage' (situation). A 'Notlage' (emergency situation) is therefore literally a situation of distress.
Die Überschwemmung brachte viele Menschen in eine Notlage.
The flood put many people in an emergency situation.
'Notlage' (emergency situation) is often used with fixed verb combinations. Common ones are 'in eine Notlage geraten' (to get into an emergency situation), 'sich in einer Notlage befinden' (to be in an emergency situation), and 'jemandem aus einer Notlage helfen' (to help someone out of an emergency situation).
Er befindet sich seit seiner Kündigung in einer schwierigen Notlage.
He has been in a difficult emergency situation since his dismissal.
Adjectives are often used to specify the type of 'Notlage' (emergency situation). Typical examples are 'finanzielle Notlage' (financial emergency situation), 'soziale Notlage' (social emergency situation), or 'persönliche Notlage' (personal emergency situation).
Der Verein unterstützt Familien in finanzieller Notlage.
The association supports families in financial emergency situations.
The word 'Notlage' (emergency situation) is often used in formal or official contexts such as news, reports, or applications. It describes a serious, urgent situation.
Die Regierung hat Soforthilfen für die von der Dürre betroffenen Bauern in Notlage beschlossen.
The government has approved emergency aid for the farmers affected by the drought who are in distress.
need / hardship
'die Not' and 'die Notlage' both describe a very difficult situation in which help may be needed. 'Not' is more general and can also mean hunger, poverty, danger, or great distress. There is also the fixed phrase 'in der Not' (in need / in times of need). 'Notlage' more strongly describes the concrete difficult situation of a person or group. The word often sounds more formal or factual, for example in the context of authorities, aid organizations, or reports. Learners may confuse the words because they often occur in similar situations. As a guide: 'Not' emphasizes the suffering or lack, while 'Notlage' emphasizes the situation someone is in.
Nach dem Brand half die Stadt den Menschen in ihrer Notlage.
After the fire, the city helped the people in their emergency situation.
Viele Familien geraten in Not, wenn sie ihre Wohnung verlieren.
Many families fall into hardship when they lose their home.