das Symptom
symptom
A sign of an illness or physical disorder that is noticed by the patient or identified by the doctor.
EXAMPLE
Fieber ist ein typisches Symptom für eine Grippe.
Fever is a typical symptom of the flu.
das Symptom
symptom
das Symptom, die Symptome
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Meanings
das Symptom
symptom
A sign or recognizable consequence of a larger, often negative problem in another area, e.g. in society or the economy.
EXAMPLE
Die hohe Jugendarbeitslosigkeit ist ein Symptom für die wirtschaftlichen Probleme des Landes.
The high youth unemployment rate is a symptom of the country's economic problems.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry Symptom, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
At a glance
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| plural | die Symptome |
| genitive | des Symptoms |
The four cases
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Symptom | die Symptome |
| accusative | das Symptom | die Symptome |
| dative | dem Symptom | den Symptomen |
| genitive | des Symptoms | der Symptome |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
Usage tips
Use with 'für'
The word 'Symptom' (symptom) is very often used with the preposition 'für' and the accusative to express what something is a sign of.
EXAMPLE
Ständige Müdigkeit kann ein Symptom für Eisenmangel sein.
Constant tiredness can be a symptom of iron deficiency.
Context clue
You can tell from the context whether the medical or figurative meaning is intended. Words like 'Krankheit' (illness) or 'Arzt' (doctor) point to the medical meaning, while terms like 'Gesellschaft' (society) or 'Wirtschaft' (economy) indicate the figurative meaning.
EXAMPLE
Husten ist ein häufiges Symptom einer Erkältung.
Coughing is a common symptom of a cold.
Typical collocations
In a medical context, 'Symptom' (symptom) is often combined with verbs such as 'haben' (to have), 'zeigen' (to show), 'lindern' (to relieve), or 'behandeln' (to treat).
EXAMPLE
Der Patient zeigte die ersten Symptome bereits vor einer Woche.
The patient showed the first symptoms as early as a week ago.
Compare with
Symptom vs Folge
consequence / episode
A Folge is a result caused by an event, whereas a Symptom is a sign that points to an underlying problem. In the case of an illness, the same phenomenon can therefore be described as either a Folge or a Symptom, depending on whether its cause or its diagnostic significance is the focus.
Symptom
Die starke Müdigkeit war ein Symptom der langen Krankheit.
The severe fatigue was a symptom of the long illness.
Folge
Die starke Müdigkeit war eine Folge der langen Krankheit.
The severe fatigue was a consequence of the long illness.
In real life
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