trauma
nounCEFR B2
What does “trauma” mean in English?
trauma — a deeply distressing experience; the lasting psychological effects thereof
trauma — a deeply distressing experience; the lasting psychological effects thereof (sufrir un trauma; trauma psicológico; superar un trauma)
Example sentences
El trauma psicológico causado por la violencia puede persistir durante años si no se trata adecuadamente.
The psychological trauma caused by violence can persist for years if not treated appropriately.
La pandemia generó un trauma colectivo difícil de cuantificar pero evidente en los datos de salud mental.
The pandemic generated a collective trauma difficult to quantify but evident in mental health data.
Fue un trauma que marcó su infancia, aunque décadas después logró hablar de ello sin angustia.
It was a trauma that marked his childhood, although decades later he managed to speak about it without distress.
How to use it
El trauma (noun, masculine) means 'trauma' — a deeply distressing experience or its lasting psychological effects. Core B2 collocations: trauma psicológico/infantil; sufrir/superar un trauma; trauma colectivo/histórico; secuelas del trauma; trauma de guerra. The adjective is traumático. Distinguish from lesión (physical injury) and secuela (lasting after-effect). Used both in medical and colloquial contexts.
Common mistake
Trauma is used colloquially in Spanish for any shock or distressing event — not just clinical PTSD. 'Traumatic' = traumático/a. 'Trauma surgeon' = cirujano de urgencias/trauma (the English medical specialism). 'To traumatise' = traumatizar.