noun
deed, act
B1
Means a deed or act, often used for concrete actions or moral/legal acts. Noun: die Tat. Plural: Taten (regular). Common collocations: gute Tat, Tat und Wahrheit. No special preposition or reflexive use; context indicates legal, moral, or general action. Used in phrases like 'eine Tat begehen'.
Examples
Die Tat wurde schnell aufgeklärt.
The act (the crime) was quickly solved.
Gute Taten werden oft nicht bemerkt.
Good deeds often go unnoticed.
Der Richter sprach ein Urteil, nachdem die Ermittler die Tat genau untersucht hatten.
The judge handed down a verdict after the investigators had thoroughly examined the crime.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a single footprint or mark showing a completed action — one clear 'Tat'.
Short and sharp — 'Tat' like the first syllable of 'tactic' (quick action).
Feminine (die): associate 'die Tat' with a headline in the news: 'die Tat' (the deed).
Notes
Often used in legal or journalistic contexts (e.g., 'Tatort' = crime scene). Depending on context it can mean a neutral 'deed' or a criminal 'act'.