trivial
Everyday, simple, or insignificant, and therefore not especially remarkable or interesting.
EXAMPLE
Seine Ausrede war so trivial, dass ihm niemand glaubte.
His excuse was so trivial that no one believed him.
trivial
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Meanings
trivial
In mathematics or logic, a statement or case that is so simple and obvious that it requires no further proof.
EXAMPLE
Die triviale Lösung der Gleichung x+y=0 ist x=0 und y=0.
The trivial solution to the equation x+y=0 is x=0 and y=0.
Usage tips
Register and style
The word 'trivial' belongs more to elevated or formal language. It is often used in written or academic contexts.
EXAMPLE
Die Lösung des Problems war am Ende überraschend trivial.
In the end, the solution to the problem was surprisingly trivial.
Typical collocations
In its general meaning, 'trivial' is often combined with nouns such as 'Frage' (question), 'Grund' (reason), 'Problem' (problem), or 'Angelegenheit' (matter).
EXAMPLE
Er hat sich über eine triviale Angelegenheit aufgeregt.
He got upset about a trivial matter.
Context clue
You can recognize the mathematical meaning from the context. When the topic is subjects such as mathematics, logic, or computer science, 'trivial' usually means 'obvious' or 'the simplest case'.
EXAMPLE
Für Mathematiker ist dies ein trivialer Beweis.
For mathematicians, this is a trivial proof.
Compare with
trivial vs simpel
simple
For something very simple, simpel and trivial are both possible. “Simpel” emphasizes ease of understanding or plain construction and often sounds colloquial, while “trivial” can additionally express that something is insignificant or unremarkable. Choose “trivial” when this evaluation matters.
trivial
Die Erklärung ist trivial, weil sie nur eine längst bekannte Tatsache wiederholt.
The explanation is trivial because it merely repeats a long-known fact.
simpel
Die Erklärung ist simpel und deshalb auch für neue Mitarbeiter leicht zu verstehen.
The explanation is simple and therefore easy for new employees to understand.
In real life
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