The line shape of the optical and magneto-optical absorption of negatively charged excitons in three- and two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors has been studied. The absorption coefficients have been determined using envelope wave functions obtained by variational means. At zero field; the charged exciton lines are disposed at the low-energy side of the threshold frequency with a rapidly decreasing long tail. In the two-dimensional case; the maximum corresponds to the threshold frequency; while in the 3D case; this maximum is shifted to lower transition energies. The magnetic field gives rise to a Landau quantization of the spectra; which reduces to a series of sharp lines in the two dimensional case.