Tatsächliche

Tatsächliche is a German term that can refer to two related uses of the word tatsächlich: as an inflected form of the adjective and as a nominalized noun. As an attributive adjective, es meaning “actual” or “real” is used before a feminine noun in the nominative or accusative, for example die tatsächliche Situation or eine tatsächliche Behauptung. The form shows typical German adjective endings: with definite articles it takes -e for feminine singular in the nominative and accusative (die tatsächliche Lage), while with indefinite articles or no article it varies by case and gender (eine tatsächliche Geschichte, eine tatsächliche Forderung im Dativ etc.).

The second, more specialized use is the nominalized form das Tatsächliche, in which the adjective is treated as a noun. In this sense it means “the actual state of affairs,” “the facts,” or “the real thing.” It is most common in formal, legal, or philosophical contexts and can contrast with the possible (das Mögliche) or the hypothetical. The nominalized form is neuter in gender and used with a definite article: das Tatsächliche.

Etymology and relation to related terms: Tatsächlich derives from Tatsache, meaning “fact,” with the adjectival suffix -lich. The word is closely related to other German terms such as Tatsache (fact), Tatsachen (facts), and faktisch (factual, in practice).

Usage notes: In everyday language, Tatsächliche occurs primarily as part of phrases describing real conditions, such as die tatsächliche Lage or die tatsächliche Beweislage. In legal or analytical writing, the nominalized form das Tatsächliche may appear when distinguishing between what is real in fact and what is theoretical.

See also: Tatsache, Tatsachen, faktisch, Faktum.