der Sturz
fall
The sudden and usually unintended falling down of a person or object.
EXAMPLE
Bei dem Sturz von der Leiter hat er sich den Arm gebrochen.
He broke his arm in the fall from the ladder.
der Sturz
fall / overthrow / lintel
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Meanings
der Sturz
overthrow
The sudden and often violent loss of power or reputation, especially the overthrow of a government or ruler.
EXAMPLE
Der Sturz des Diktators wurde vom Volk bejubelt.
The overthrow of the dictator was celebrated by the people.
der Sturz
drop / fall
A rapid and sharp drop in values, prices, or temperatures.
EXAMPLE
Der plötzliche Sturz der Aktienkurse löste Panik an der Börse aus.
The sudden fall in stock prices triggered panic on the stock exchange.
der Sturz
lintel
A load-bearing horizontal structural element above an opening in a wall, such as above a door or window.
EXAMPLE
Der Maurer prüft, ob der Sturz über dem Fenster korrekt eingesetzt ist.
The bricklayer checks whether the lintel above the window has been installed correctly.
Usage tips
Word family
'Der Sturz' (the fall) is the noun form of the verb 'stürzen' (to fall / to topple / to plunge). All meanings of the noun—falling down, overthrowing, dropping—are also found in the verb.
EXAMPLE
Die alte Vase ist vom Regal gestürzt und zerbrochen.
The old vase fell from the shelf and broke.
Context clues
The context makes the meaning clear: with people, it is about falling down; in politics, about loss of power; in business, about prices; and in construction, about a structural element above an opening.
EXAMPLE
Der Sturz der Königin führte zu politischer Instabilität.
The overthrow of the queen led to political instability.
Typical prepositions
To describe the reason for or place of a fall, the prepositions 'von' (from, origin) and 'auf' (onto, destination) are often used. The phrase 'zu Sturz kommen' means 'to fall down'.
EXAMPLE
Der Sturz vom Fahrrad war schmerzhaft.
The fall from the bicycle was painful.
Typical collocations
In a political context, people often speak of the 'Sturz einer Regierung' (overthrow of a government) or 'Sturz eines Regimes' (overthrow of a regime). A person or event can also 'zu Sturz bringen' someone, meaning bring them down.
EXAMPLE
Der Skandal brachte den Minister zu Sturz.
The scandal brought down the minister.
Typical adjectives
To describe the intensity of the drop, 'Sturz' (fall/drop) is often combined with adjectives such as 'plötzlich' (sudden), 'dramatisch' (dramatic), or 'rapide' (rapid).
EXAMPLE
Wir erlebten einen rapiden Sturz der Temperaturen.
We experienced a rapid drop in temperatures.
Compare with
Sturz vs Fall
case / fall
Der Fall and der Sturz can both refer to a person falling down. „Fall“ is the neutral term for downward movement, while „Sturz“ usually emphasizes a sudden and unintended fall. „Fall“ fits an objective description; „Sturz“ sounds more appropriate for an abrupt accident.
Sturz
Beim Klettern verletzte sich das Kind bei einem plötzlichen Sturz.
While climbing, the child was injured in a sudden fall.
Fall
Beim Klettern wurde der Fall des Kindes durch das Seil gebremst.
While climbing, the rope slowed the child’s fall.
In real life
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