ADVANCED LEVEL

Advanced German Word of the Day > Today’s Word (Hear it!)

bagatellisieren (v.i./t.)
   to trivialize, minimize, downplay, play down
Principal parts: er bagatellisiert, bagatellisierte, bagatellisiert

Sie versuchen die Dinge erst zu vertuschen und dann zu bagatellisieren.
They try first to cover things up and then to trivialize them.
Plagiatsaffäre: Er kritisierte den "Versuch, die akademische Untat zu bagatellisieren, nur um einen beim Wählervolk beliebten Minister im Amt halten zu können."
Plagiarism affair: He criticised the "attempt to minimize the academic misdeed only in order to be able to keep a minister in office who is popular with the voters."
Der Kriminologe warf der Berliner Polizei vor, Jugendkriminalität zu bagatellisieren.
The criminologist accused the Berlin police of downplaying juvenile crime.

Related:
Bagatell- (in compounds) minor
die Bagatelle trifle, minor matter; bagatelle
das Bagatelldelikt minor/petty offense
der Bagatellschaden minor damage
verharmlosen to play down, minimize

AUDIO > Listen to this word with examples! (mp3 audio)

BACK > Daily German: Word of the Day (advanced)
MORE > English-German Glossaries
MORE > Previous Words of the Day - Index

FORUM > German Language Forum for learning German

 
Copyright © 2008-2011 Hyde Flippo