fact
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fact
A state of affairs or circumstance that is demonstrably true and recognized as really existing; a fact.
Es ist eine unbestreitbare Tatsache, dass der Klimawandel existiert.
It is an undeniable fact that climate change exists.
The word is made up of 'Tat' (deed/action) and 'Sache' (thing/matter). A 'Tat' is something that was done, an action. So a 'Tatsache' (fact) is literally an 'action-thing', a state of affairs that really happened and is therefore provable.
Es ist eine Tatsache, dass er den Vertrag unterschrieben hat.
It is a fact that he signed the contract.
'Tatsache' (fact) is very often used to introduce a subordinate clause with 'dass' (that). The construction 'die Tatsache, dass ...' (the fact that ...) functions as a noun phrase in the sentence.
Die Tatsache, dass er zu spät kam, hat alle geärgert.
The fact that he came late annoyed everyone.
The phrase 'Tatsache ist, dass ...' (the fact is that ...) appears at the beginning of a sentence to make an indisputable point. It introduces a subordinate clause with 'dass' (that), in which the conjugated verb comes at the end.
Tatsache ist, dass die Frist morgen abläuft und wir noch nicht fertig sind.
The fact is that the deadline is tomorrow and we are not finished yet.
The idiom 'jemanden vor vollendete Tatsachen stellen' (to present someone with a fait accompli) is a fixed unit. The person who is surprised is always in the accusative.
Er hat das Auto einfach gekauft und seine Frau damit vor vollendete Tatsachen gestellt.
He simply bought the car and thereby presented his wife with a fait accompli.
opinion
'die Meinung' and 'die Tatsache' often appear side by side in discussions, but they do not mean the same thing. 'Meinung' is a personal opinion: different people can have different opinions. 'Tatsache' means something that really is the case and can be proven. Learners may confuse the words when someone states their opinion very confidently. But a strong opinion is not yet a fact. Memory tip: You can have an opinion; you can check a fact.
Tatsache ist, dass der Zug heute zwanzig Minuten zu spät kommt.
The fact is that the train is arriving twenty minutes late today.
Beim Termin sagte mein Nachbar offen seine Meinung zur neuen Hausordnung.
At the appointment, my neighbor openly gave his opinion on the new house rules.