die Wahrheit
truth
The agreement of a statement or thought with reality or with a set of facts.
EXAMPLE
Es ist wichtig, immer die Wahrheit zu sagen.
It is important to always tell the truth.
die Wahrheit
truth
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Meanings
die Wahrheit
truth
A fact or insight that is accepted as correct and indisputable.
EXAMPLE
Es ist eine unbequeme Wahrheit, dass wir alle älter werden.
It is an uncomfortable truth that we all get older.
in Wahrheit
in truth
Expresses that something is different in reality from how it seems. Synonymous with 'actually' or 'really'.
EXAMPLE
Er gibt sich selbstbewusst, aber in Wahrheit ist er sehr unsicher.
He acts confident, but in truth he is very insecure.
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'die Wahrheit' (the truth) is derived directly from the adjective 'wahr' (true). If something is 'wahr' (true), it is the 'Wahrheit' (truth).
EXAMPLE
Ist es wahr, dass du umziehst? Ja, das ist die Wahrheit.
Is it true that you're moving? Yes, that is the truth.
Typical verbs
'Die Wahrheit' (the truth) is often used with certain verbs. Common combinations are 'die Wahrheit sagen' (to tell the truth), 'die Wahrheit erfahren' (to learn the truth), 'die Wahrheit gestehen' (to confess the truth), or 'die Wahrheit herausfinden' (to find out the truth).
EXAMPLE
Er hat lange gezögert, aber am Ende hat er die Wahrheit gesagt.
He hesitated for a long time, but in the end he told the truth.
Typical adjectives
When 'Wahrheit' (truth) describes a fact, it is often accompanied by adjectives that define its nature more closely. Typical examples are 'eine bittere Wahrheit' (a bitter truth), 'eine traurige Wahrheit' (a sad truth), or 'die reine Wahrheit' (the pure truth / the plain truth).
EXAMPLE
Es ist eine bittere Wahrheit, dass nicht alle Träume in Erfüllung gehen.
It is a bitter truth that not all dreams come true.
Fixed expression
The expression 'in Wahrheit' (in truth) is a fixed phrase that means 'tatsächlich' (actually) or 'in Wirklichkeit' (in reality). It is often used to express a contrast between appearance and reality.
EXAMPLE
Sie wirkt immer fröhlich, aber in Wahrheit ist sie oft traurig.
She always seems cheerful, but in truth she is often sad.
Sentence structure
When the expression 'in Wahrheit' (in truth) stands at the beginning of a sentence, the verb follows directly after it in position 2. This is called inversion.
EXAMPLE
Er sagte, er sei krank. In Wahrheit wollte er nur nicht zur Party kommen.
He said he was sick. In truth, he just didn't want to come to the party.
Compare with
Wahrheit vs Tatsache
fact
Wahrheit concerns whether a statement corresponds to reality. Tatsache, on the other hand, is a single demonstrably true state of affairs. Wahrheit is appropriate for an honest or correct statement, while Tatsache is used for an established circumstance.
Wahrheit
Der Zeuge sagt über den Unfall die Wahrheit.
The witness is telling the truth about the accident.
Tatsache
Der Polizeibericht bestätigt die Tatsache, dass die Ampel rot war.
The police report confirms the fact that the traffic light was red.
In real life
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