indifference
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indifference
A state of disinterest, apathy, and lack of emotional involvement toward people, things, or events.
Seine völlige Gleichgültigkeit gegenüber ihren Sorgen verletzte sie tief.
His complete indifference to her worries hurt her deeply.
The word is derived from the adjective 'gleichgültig' (indifferent), which consists of 'gleich' (equal/same) and 'gültig' (valid). The idea behind it is that everything seems 'gleich gültig' (equally valid) to a person, meaning it has the same value, from which the meaning 'disinterested' developed.
Ihre Gleichgültigkeit war nur eine Maske, um ihre Verletzlichkeit zu schützen.
Her indifference was only a mask to protect her vulnerability.
To express what the indifference refers to, German uses the preposition 'gegenüber' with the dative. The structure is: Gleichgültigkeit gegenüber + person/thing in the dative.
Er zeigte eine erschreckende Gleichgültigkeit gegenüber dem Leiden anderer.
He showed a shocking indifference to the suffering of others.
Common verbs used with 'Gleichgültigkeit' (indifference) are 'zeigen' (to show) or 'fühlen' (to feel). The noun is often intensified by adjectives like 'völlig' (complete), 'kalt' (cold), or 'absolut' (absolute).
Sie stieß bei ihren Kollegen nur auf kalte Gleichgültigkeit.
She encountered only cold indifference from her colleagues.
interest
'das Interesse' and 'die Gleichgültigkeit' are clear opposites. With 'Interesse', you give attention to a person, thing, or topic and may want to know more about it. With 'Gleichgültigkeit', something does not matter to you; you show hardly any feeling or involvement. The contrast is especially clear when it comes to conversations, problems, or important events. 'Interesse' shows closeness and attention; 'Gleichgültigkeit' shows distance or a lack of involvement.
Die Gleichgültigkeit meiner Nachbarin hat mich überrascht, als ich von dem Problem erzählt habe.
My neighbor's indifference surprised me when I told her about the problem.
Nach dem Gespräch mit der Kollegin ist dein Interesse an dem neuen Projekt noch größer.
After the conversation with your colleague, your interest in the new project is even greater.