trial
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trial riding
A sport with motorcycles or bicycles in which the goal is to overcome a difficult off-road course with obstacles without touching the ground with your feet. Skill matters more than speed here.
Am Wochenende findet in den Bergen ein internationales Trial für Motorräder statt.
An international motorcycle trial is taking place in the mountains this weekend.
trial
In a scientific or medical context, a clinical study or systematic test to examine the effectiveness and safety of a new treatment method or medication.
Das neue Medikament befindet sich aktuell in einem klinischen Trial der Phase III.
The new medication is currently in a Phase III clinical trial.
Careful: 'das Trial' in German never means a court trial. The English word 'trial' has this meaning, but the German loanword does not. A court trial is called 'der Prozess' or 'das Gerichtsverfahren' in German.
Der Angeklagte wartet auf seinen Prozess.
The defendant is waiting for his trial.
You can recognize the meaning of 'Trial' from the context. If it is about 'Motorräder' (motorcycles), 'Fahrräder' (bicycles), or 'Parcours' (course), the sport is meant. In connection with 'klinisch' (clinical), 'Medikament' (medication), or 'Patienten' (patients), it refers to a scientific study.
Er fährt in seiner Freizeit Trial mit dem Mountainbike.
He rides trials on his mountain bike in his free time.
Both meanings of 'Trial' belong to technical language. One is used in sports, the other in medicine and science. The word is rare in general everyday vocabulary.
Für Laien sind die Regeln beim Motorrad-Trial schwer zu verstehen.
For laypeople, the rules of motorcycle trials are hard to understand.
In a sports context, people say 'ein Trial fahren' (to ride a trial) or 'an einem Trial teilnehmen' (to take part in a trial). The type of vehicle is often mentioned, e.g., 'Motorrad-Trial' (motorcycle trial) or 'Fahrrad-Trial' (bicycle trial).
Nächstes Jahr möchte er an einem internationalen Trial teilnehmen.
Next year he wants to take part in an international trial.
attempt / experiment
Versuch and Trial can both refer to a scientific test with an uncertain outcome. Trial is the usual term in medical or scientific contexts for a systematic clinical study, while Versuch can also mean a single experimental procedure. Trial is therefore more appropriate for a study.
Das medizinische Trial untersucht die Wirksamkeit der neuen Behandlung mit vielen Patienten.
The medical trial examines the effectiveness of the new treatment in many patients.
Dieser Versuch prüft, wie die neue Behandlung unter kontrollierten Bedingungen wirkt.
This experiment tests how the new treatment works under controlled conditions.
