Which condition involves difficulty understanding spoken or written words?

Receptive aphasia is characterized by difficulty in understanding spoken or written language due to damage in areas of the brain that are responsible for language processing, typically associated with conditions like stroke or brain injury. This condition affects the individual's ability to comprehend what others say or what they read, even though their ability to speak may remain relatively intact.

In contrast, expressive aphasia would involve difficulty in formulating and articulating words and sentences, while dysphagia relates specifically to difficulty swallowing. Emotional lability pertains to rapid, exaggerated changes in moods and emotions, which does not directly connect to language comprehension. Thus, receptive aphasia accurately describes the condition where there is a notable challenge in understanding language.