self-evident / of course
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self-evident
So clear and normal that you do not need to talk about it or explain it; obvious and expected.
Es ist selbstverständlich, dass man älteren Menschen im Bus seinen Platz anbietet.
It is self-evident that you offer your seat to older people on the bus.
The word is composed of 'selbst' (self) and 'verständlich' (understandable, from 'verstehen' (to understand)). The literal meaning is therefore that something 'sich von selbst versteht' (is understood by itself) and therefore needs no explanation.
Dass man pünktlich ist, sollte sich von selbst verstehen.
That one is punctual should be understood as a matter of course.
As a standalone response, 'Selbstverständlich!' (Of course!) expresses strong, polite agreement. It is a clear and positive way to say 'Ja, natürlich!' (Yes, of course!).
Bringst du mir einen Kaffee mit? – Selbstverständlich!
Will you bring me a coffee? – Of course!
In the meaning 'offensichtlich' (obvious), the word is often used in the structure 'Es ist selbstverständlich, dass ...' (It is self-evident that ...). This is followed by a subordinate clause describing what is normally expected.
Es ist selbstverständlich, dass man seine Hausaufgaben macht.
It is self-evident that you do your homework.
'Selbstverständlich' (of course / naturally) can also appear as an adverb within a sentence. It then emphasizes that an action happens as expected or naturally.
Er hat mir selbstverständlich bei meinem Umzug geholfen.
He naturally helped me with my move.
natural / of course
'natürlich' and 'selbstverständlich' both express that something is clear, normal, or expected. As an answer, both often simply mean 'yes, of course'. 'natürlich' is very common and fits in almost all everyday situations. 'selbstverständlich' often sounds a bit stronger, more polite, or more formal. If you want to make it especially clear that something is no problem, 'selbstverständlich' works well.
Selbstverständlich können Sie den Termin morgen verschieben.
Of course, you can reschedule the appointment for tomorrow.
Er bringt natürlich alle Unterlagen zum Gespräch mit.
Of course, he brings all the documents to the meeting.