die
Tatsache
🔍 What does 'die Tatsache' mean?
Die Tatsache (noun, feminine) refers to a state of affairs whose existence or truth is verifiable or undisputed. It signifies something objective that exists independently of opinions or interpretations. A Tatsache is a given circumstance or a fact.
In contrast to an opinion (eine Meinung) or an assumption (eine Vermutung), a Tatsache is based on evidence (Beweise), observations (Beobachtungen), or established knowledge (gesicherte Erkenntnisse).
- Core meaning: A verifiable, real state of affairs; a fact.
⚠️ There are no different meanings based on the article, as 'Tatsache' is always feminine (die).
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
🧐 Grammar in Detail: Die Tatsache
The word "Tatsache" is a feminine noun. The article is always die.
Declension Singular
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (1st case) | die | Tatsache |
| Genitive (2nd case) | der | Tatsache |
| Dative (3rd case) | der | Tatsache |
| Accusative (4th case) | die | Tatsache |
Declension Plural
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (1st case) | die | Tatsachen |
| Genitive (2nd case) | der | Tatsachen |
| Dative (3rd case) | den | Tatsachen |
| Accusative (4th case) | die | Tatsachen |
📝 Example Sentences
- Die Tatsache, dass es regnet, ist unbestreitbar.
(The fact that it is raining is undeniable.) - Wir müssen uns auf die nackten Tatsachen konzentrieren.
(We must concentrate on the bare facts.) - Er verschweigt eine wichtige Tatsache.
(He is concealing an important fact.) - Aufgrund der Tatsachen mussten wir unsere Meinung ändern.
(Based on the facts, we had to change our opinion.) - Die Entscheidung beruht auf harten Tatsachen.
(The decision is based on hard facts.)
💡 How to Use 'Tatsache'
"Tatsache" is used to refer to something considered true, real, and verifiable. It contrasts with subjective impressions (subjektive Eindrücke), opinions (Meinungen), or speculations (Spekulationen).
Typical Contexts:
- Science & Research: To describe findings and observations (e.g., wissenschaftliche Tatsachen - scientific facts).
- Law & Justice: To present evidence and established states of affairs (e.g., Tatsachenfeststellung - finding of facts).
- Everyday Communication: To provide clarity or present a statement as objective (e.g., Tatsache ist, dass... - The fact is that...).
- Discussions & Debates: To place arguments on a solid foundation (e.g., den Tatsachen ins Auge sehen - to face the facts).
Important Phrases:
- Tatsache ist (, dass)...: Used to emphatically state something as a fact.
- auf Tatsachen beruhen/basieren: To be based on facts.
- Tatsachen schaffen: To create a fait accompli, a situation that cannot easily be reversed.
- den Tatsachen entsprechen: To be true, to correspond to the facts.
- nackte/reine/bloße Tatsachen: Bare/pure/mere facts, without interpretation or embellishment.
Distinction: A Tatsache is objective, while an Meinung (opinion) is subjective. A Vermutung (assumption) is a supposition without proof.
🧠 Mnemonics and Memory Aids
Article 'die': Remember that truth (die Wahrheit) is often based on facts (Tatsachen). Both words are feminine in German. Alternatively, many German nouns ending in -ache (like die Sprache - language, die Rache - revenge) are feminine – this includes die Tatsache.
Meaning 'Fact': Think of Tatsache as composed of Tat (deed, act) and Sache (thing, matter). So, it's like a 'done thing' – something that has happened and is therefore real, a fact.
🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms for Tatsache
Synonyms (similar meaning):
- Faktum/Fakt: Very direct synonym, often interchangeable.
- Gegebenheit: Emphasizes the existence, the given nature of a state.
- Realität: Refers to reality as a whole, but can also stand for a single fact.
- Wirklichkeit: Similar to Realität (reality).
- Sachverhalt: Often used in legal or formal contexts (state of affairs).
- Umstand: Can denote a fact, often in the context of circumstances.
Antonyms (opposite meaning):
- Meinung: Opinion (subjective view).
- Vermutung: Assumption (without sufficient evidence).
- Hypothese: Hypothesis (unproven scientific assumption).
- Spekulation: Speculation (often baseless conjecture).
- Lüge/Unwahrheit: Lie/Untruth (deliberately false statement).
- Fiktion: Fiction (something invented, imagined).
⚠️ Similar but Misleading Words:
- Angelegenheit: Refers to a matter or issue being dealt with, not necessarily a fact (e.g., eine dringende Angelegenheit - an urgent matter).
- Ursache: The cause or reason for something, not the fact itself (e.g., die Ursache des Problems - the cause of the problem).
😂 A Little Joke
Zwei Planeten treffen sich. Sagt der eine: "Du siehst aber schlecht aus!"
Sagt der andere: "Ja, ich habe Homo sapiens."
Sagt der erste: "Hatte ich auch mal, aber keine Sorge, das geht vorbei. Das ist eine Tatsache!" 😉
Translation:
Two planets meet. One says: "You look terrible!"
The other says: "Yeah, I've got Homo sapiens."
The first one says: "I had that once too, but don't worry, it passes. That's a fact!" 😉
📜 A Poem about 'Tatsache'
Ob Regen fällt, ob Sonne scheint,
was wirklich ist, wird nicht beweint.
Die Tatsache, klar und rein,
soll Kompass uns im Leben sein.
Manch Meinung klingt vielleicht ganz schön,
doch Fakten muss man widerstehn.
Die Wahrheit, oft ganz unbequem,
ist als Tatsache angenehm.
Translation:
Whether rain falls or sun does shine,
what's real is ne'er a cause to whine.
The fact, so clear and so pure,
should be our compass, life's true lure.
Some views may sound quite nice and grand,
but facts are hard to countermand.
The truth, though often tough to face,
as fact, finds its welcome place.
❓ A Little Riddle
Ich habe kein Gefühl, doch jeder sucht nach mir.
Ich bin nicht deine Meinung, steh' oft schwarz auf weiß vor dir.
Man kann mich prüfen, messen, sehen,
ich helfe, um die Welt zu verstehen.
Was bin ich?
... Die Tatsache
Translation:
I have no feeling, yet everyone seeks me.
I am not your opinion, often stand in black and white before thee.
You can test me, measure, see,
I help to understand the world, you agree.
What am I?
... A fact (Die Tatsache)
Feed for the Curious: More on 'Tatsache'
Word Composition
The word "Tatsache" is composed of:
Together, they form the meaning of a 'done thing' (getane Sache), something that has occurred and is therefore real – a fact.
Trivia
- The term "Tatsachenentscheidung" (decision based on facts) plays an important role in sports, e.g., referee decisions, which often cannot be appealed even if they appear incorrect.
- In philosophy and epistemology, the definition and recognizability of facts (Tatsachen) is a central theme. What truly constitutes a fact?
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Tatsache?
The German word Tatsache is always feminine. The correct article is die (die Tatsache, der Tatsache, der Tatsache, die Tatsache). It means fact or given circumstance.