Explanation: The difference is who sues, as well as the potential penalties. Namely, when it comes to a civil case, a citizen can file a lawsuit against another citizen, say a neighbor, or against an organization, a company, and the like. In such cases, the sentence is usually not a prison sentence, but some other form of punishment as compensation, etc.
In a criminal case, it is usually the government, i.e. the competent prosecutor's office, which sues the citizen. This is usually considered a lawsuit against criminal activity by individuals or a group, which may be harmful to others or to the state as a whole. In that case, the sentence is usually imprisonment or some other type of punishment provided for the crime.