fakta bahawa

The Fact That

Level 5

Fakta bahawa is a formal construction used to treat a whole statement as a single noun. It is the direct equivalent of the English phrase 'the fact that'.

How It Works

1. Syntactic Function
This pattern functions as a noun phrase complement. It uses the complementizer bahawa to link a head noun (fakta) to a full proposition. This allows you to treat a whole situation as a single entity for analysis.

2. Formal Register and Alternatives
This is a hallmark of formal Malay and is rarely heard in conversation. A common synonym in academic writing is kenyataan bahawa (the reality/statement that).

3. Redundancy and Style (Lewah)
Learners should be aware that authoritative sources like Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) often view fakta bahawa as a calque (loan translation) of the English 'the fact that'. In high-level formal prose, it is often considered lewah (redundant). To become proficient in concise writing, you can often:

  • Use bahawa alone as a complementizer.
  • Use nominalization (e.g., 'Kehadirannya' instead of 'Fakta bahawa dia hadir').

4. Structure
The structure is: [Fakta] + [bahawa] + [Full Clause].
Example: Fakta bahawa (The fact that) + dia tidak hadir (he was not present).

5. Usage with Prepositions
It is used to provide a specific basis for an argument, though some forms are more acceptable than others:

  • Berdasarkan fakta bahawa... (Based on the fact that...)
  • Memandangkan fakta bahawa... (Considering the fact that...)
  • Note: Avoid Disebabkan oleh fakta bahawa. DBP considers this highly redundant; use kerana or oleh sebab instead.

Examples (4)

  1. Fakta bahawa dia seorang ilmuwan terkemuka diketahui oleh umum.

    The fact that he is a renowned scientist is known by the public.

    Word by Word: Fact that he one scientist prominent known by public.

    Here, the entire clause 'dia seorang ilmuwan terkemuka' acts as the subject of the sentence because it is introduced by 'fakta bahawa'.

  2. Keputusan itu dibuat berdasarkan fakta bahawa terdapat kekurangan bukti.

    The decision was made based on the fact that there was a lack of evidence.

    Word by Word: Decision that made based-on fact that there-is lack evidence.

    This shows the pattern following a prepositional phrase ('berdasarkan'), which is a very common usage in legal or formal reports.

  3. Fakta bahawa ekonomi sedang merosot tidak boleh diabaikan.

    The fact that the economy is declining cannot be ignored.

    Word by Word: Fact that economy currently declining not can be-ignored.

    The pattern allows the speaker to treat the economic decline as a discrete topic (a noun) that 'cannot be ignored'.

  4. Kita harus menerima fakta bahawa perubahan iklim sedang berlaku.

    We must accept the fact that climate change is happening.

    Word by Word: We must accept fact that change climate currently happen.

    In this sentence, 'fakta bahawa...' serves as the direct object of the verb 'menerima' (to accept).

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'fakta bahawa' in casual conversation.

    Saya sedih tentang fakta bahawa awak nak pergi.
    Saya sedih sebab awak nak pergi.

    Using 'fakta bahawa' in daily speech sounds robotic and overly formal. In casual settings, use 'sebab' (because) or just bahawa if necessary.

  • Using it after verbs of saying instead of a simple complementizer.

    Dia berkata fakta bahawa dia penat.
    Dia berkata bahawa dia penat.

    Verbs like 'berkata' (to say) or 'memberitahu' (to tell) usually take a simple bahawa clause. Adding 'fakta' is redundant unless you are specifically emphasizing the 'factuality' of the statement in a formal context.

  • Overusing the phrase as a direct translation of English 'the fact that'.

    Fakta bahawa dia gagal mengejutkan saya.
    Kegagalannya mengejutkan saya.

    In formal writing, 'fakta bahawa' is often considered 'lewah' (redundant) or a calque of English. Using nominalization or a simple bahawa clause is often preferred for better style.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

fakta bahawaLevel 5The Fact That

Learn This First

To understand 'fakta bahawa' (the fact that), learners must first be comfortable with the basic 'bahawa' content clause used to report information. Since 'fakta bahawa' turns a whole sentence into a complex noun phrase, learners should also understand how Malay handles nominalized clauses and how these noun phrases function as subjects or objects in formal analytical sentences.

Words in This Pattern

faktabahawa