indifferent
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indifferent
Showing no interest, no sympathy, or no emotional reaction toward something or someone; uninvolved.
Es ist ihm völlig gleichgültig, was wir am Wochenende unternehmen.
He is completely indifferent to what we do on the weekend.
'Gleichgültig' is made up of 'gleich' (same/equal) and 'gültig' (valid). The literal meaning is that different options are 'gleich gültig' (equally valid) to someone, meaning they all have the same value and it therefore does not matter which one happens.
Ob wir ins Kino oder ins Theater gehen, ist mir gleichgültig.
Whether we go to the cinema or the theater is all the same to me.
'Gleichgültig' is very often used in the structure 'Es ist [Dativ-Objekt] gleichgültig, ...' (It is indifferent to [dative object] / [someone] doesn't care...). The dative object is the person who has the feeling of indifference.
Es war ihm völlig gleichgültig, ob seine Mannschaft gewinnt oder verliert.
It was completely indifferent to him whether his team won or lost.
To express what the indifference relates to, the preposition 'gegenüber' (toward) with the dative is often used. This is especially common with people or abstract topics.
Sie verhielt sich ihren alten Freunden gegenüber immer gleichgültiger.
She behaved more and more indifferently toward her old friends.
immediate / same
'gleich' and 'gleichgültig' can both express that something is not important to someone. 'gleich' is usually used in the fixed form 'jemandem gleich sein' (to not matter to someone), for example 'Das ist mir gleich' (It doesn't matter to me). 'gleichgültig' describes an attitude more directly: someone shows no interest or no emotional reaction. In everyday speech, 'Das ist mir gleich' often sounds more neutral and shorter. 'gleichgültig' is more suitable when describing a person or their behavior.
Seine gleichgültige Antwort hat Anna nach dem Streit verletzt.
His indifferent answer hurt Anna after the argument.
Ob wir mit dem Bus oder mit der Bahn fahren, ist mir gleich.
It doesn't matter to me whether we go by bus or by train.