fainting / powerlessness
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fainting
A brief, temporary loss of consciousness, often caused by circulatory problems or shock.
Wegen der großen Hitze und des Flüssigkeitsmangels fiel sie in Ohnmacht.
Because of the intense heat and lack of fluids, she fainted.
powerlessness
The state of complete powerlessness or helplessness in the face of a situation, a person, or a higher force.
Angesichts der Naturkatastrophe spürte er nur noch ein Gefühl der Ohnmacht.
In the face of the natural disaster, he felt only a sense of powerlessness.
The word is made up of 'ohn-' (an old form of 'ohne', meaning 'without') and 'Macht' (power). So it literally means 'without power' or 'powerlessness,' which explains both meanings well.
Angesichts der Bürokratie fühlte er eine totale Ohnmacht.
In the face of the bureaucracy, he felt total powerlessness.
You can usually recognize the medical meaning from the verb 'fallen' (to fall). The figurative meaning of helplessness is often expressed through verbs of feeling such as 'spüren' (to feel) or 'empfinden' (to feel/experience), or as 'Gefühl der Ohnmacht' (feeling of powerlessness).
Er ist vor Schreck fast in Ohnmacht gefallen.
He almost fainted from fright.
To describe losing consciousness, the fixed expression 'in Ohnmacht fallen' (to faint) is used. The person who loses consciousness is the subject.
Als sie die schlechte Nachricht hörte, fiel sie in Ohnmacht.
When she heard the bad news, she fainted.
To express the feeling of helplessness, 'Ohnmacht' (powerlessness) is often used with verbs such as 'fühlen' (to feel) or 'spüren' (to feel), or in the combination 'ein Gefühl der Ohnmacht' (a feeling of powerlessness).
Gegenüber der Entscheidung des Chefs spürten die Mitarbeiter nur Ohnmacht.
In response to the boss's decision, the employees felt only powerlessness.
coma
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.
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.
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.
