stroke
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stroke
A sudden, life-threatening disruption of blood flow in the brain, caused by a blocked or burst blood vessel and leading to a loss of brain functions.
Nach dem Schlaganfall musste er das Sprechen und Gehen neu lernen.
After the stroke, he had to learn to speak and walk again.
The word is made up of 'Schlag' (blow/stroke) and 'Anfall' (attack/seizure). 'Schlag' can be understood here as a sudden, violent event (as in 'Stromschlag' — electric shock), and 'Anfall' as a sudden attack of illness. So it figuratively describes a 'blow' in the brain.
Sein Großvater erholt sich nur langsam von dem schweren Schlaganfall.
His grandfather is recovering only slowly from the severe stroke.
In connection with a stroke, the verbs 'erleiden' (to suffer), 'haben' (to have), or 'bekommen' (to get) are usually used to express that a person is affected by it.
Jedes Jahr erleiden in Deutschland tausende Menschen einen Schlaganfall.
Every year, thousands of people in Germany suffer a stroke.
To describe the severity of the illness, 'Schlaganfall' (stroke) is often combined with the adjectives 'leicht' (mild) or 'schwer' (severe).
Nach einem leichten Schlaganfall konnte er die Klinik schnell wieder verlassen.
After a mild stroke, he was able to leave the hospital again quickly.
blow / stroke
'der Schlag' and 'der Schlaganfall' can mean the same thing in the medical sense: a sudden disruption in the brain. 'Der Schlaganfall' is the clear and precise word, especially at the doctor’s office, in the hospital, or in the news. 'Der Schlag' can also have this meaning, but it is ambiguous because it can also mean a blow, a noise, or a sudden event. That is why the words can be confused. When it is clearly about health, 'Schlaganfall' is usually safer and more precise.
Bei einem Schlaganfall zählt jede Minute, deshalb rief Anna sofort den Notarzt.
Every minute counts during a stroke, so Anna called the emergency doctor immediately.
Nach dem Schlag musste mein Großvater lange in der Klinik bleiben.
After the stroke, my grandfather had to stay in the clinic for a long time.