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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
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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 wirklich
really
'wirklich' and 'die Wahrheit' are both connected to what is real or correct. However, 'wirklich' is an adverb and describes that something is actually the case or is being strongly emphasized. 'die Wahrheit' is a noun and means the truth, especially in statements or information. In the fixed expression 'in Wahrheit' (in truth), it comes especially close to 'wirklich' and means: actually or really. Learners may confuse the words because both have to do with reality. Remember: 'wirklich' describes a statement; 'die Wahrheit' is the content that is true.
Wahrheit
Im Gespräch sagte die Kundin endlich die Wahrheit.
During the conversation, the customer finally told the truth.
wirklich
Mila braucht wirklich ein neues Ladegerät für ihr Handy.
Mila really needs a new charger for her phone.
In real life
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