The table below contains translations of the terms impairment and disability in several languages. These terms have been taken, where possible, from examples provided on http://www.linguee.com, focusing on terms used in translations of the second paragraph of article 1 of the CRPD (often derived from documents on http://eur-lex.europa. eu). The text is as follows:

“Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”

This text was chosen as it makes a distinction between the two terms but it should also be borne in mind that it reflects the social model of disability. In everyday life, many people use other terms and in some cases do not make a distinction between the two (e.g. in the Czech Republic and Bulgaria). Translations are not included for a couple of countries due to failure to reach consensus on the translation of either term.

We did not have access to qualified translators with expertise in the field of disability. The following table is only intended to help non-native English speakers have a better idea of the terminology being used in this report. We welcome any feedback (info@alzheimer-europe.org).