Thread: простой : easy and / or irrelevant

The word "simple" has at least two meanings in various languages. I would like to know if in Russian it is like this. The article in which is the phrase that I quote deals with relations between different wifes of a man in a polygamic/polygamous (?) family. The phrase is:
Сотрудничество между жёнaми - не простая формальность.
According with the translation: "Cooperation among wifes is not a simple formality (it is more that a formality)" or "... is not a formality simple (it is a difficult one)" the sense differs widely. Both translations are possible in Russian? According with what follows the meaning is the first ("it is more than a formality"), but in dictionaries a see for простой just the meaning of "easy, not difficult". Thank you

Простой can be easy and simple.
In your case it'll be "не простая формальность" and means it's more than just a formality. If you wanted to say it's difficult, you'd say: "это непростая формальность".

pay attention to the space between не and простая.

Originally Posted by Vladi

The word "simple" has at least two meanings in various languages. I would like to know if in Russian it is like this. The article in which is the phrase that I quote deals with relations between different wifes of a man in a polygamic/polygamous (?) family. The phrase is:
Сотрудничество между жёнaми - не простая формальность.
According with the translation: "Cooperation among wifes is not a simple formality (it is more that a formality)" or "... is not a formality simple (it is a difficult one)" the sense differs widely. Both translations are possible in Russian? According with what follows the meaning is the first ("it is more than a formality"), but in dictionaries a see for простой just the meaning of "easy, not difficult". Thank you

"простая формальность" = "просто (just, only, simply) формальность".

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

Простой can be easy and simple.
In your case it'll be "не простая формальность" and means it's more than just a formality. If you wanted to say it's difficult, you'd say: "это непростая формальность".

pay attention to the space between не and простая.

"Это связано с непростыми формальностями (plural)" would be better.

"Простая формальность" is an idiomatic expression that means "smth for show, for appearance, for bureaucracy, nothing more"

Originally Posted by Vladi

The word "simple" has at least two meanings in various languages. I would like to know if in Russian it is like this. The article in which is the phrase that I quote deals with relations between different wifes of a man in a polygamic/polygamous (?) family. The phrase is:
Сотрудничество между жёнaми - не простая формальность.
According with the translation: "Cooperation among wifes is not a simple formality (it is more that a formality)" or "... is not a formality simple (it is a difficult one)" the sense differs widely. Both translations are possible in Russian? According with what follows the meaning is the first ("it is more than a formality"), but in dictionaries a see for простой just the meaning of "easy, not difficult". Thank you

Wives, not wifes.

Thanks for ur help. As for "wifes" instead of "wives" I promise here in front of the world that as soon as I master Russian (it's only matter of 3 or 4 [years, quinquennial plans, or decades]) I will put myself down to improve my English.
С новым годом!

Just move to Scotland. "Wifes" is an acceptable plural there

Originally Posted by scotcher

Just move to Scotland. "Wifes" is an acceptable plural there

What about wifies?

Aye, them too.