True means in accordance with fact or reality; authentic and genuine; loyal and faithful; or exactly aligned. As an adverb it means accurately or in correct position. As a rare noun it appears in the phrase out of true (not straight or correctly aligned).
What Does True Mean?
True is one of the most versatile words in English, functioning primarily as an adjective but also as an adverb and, in technical or literary use, as a noun. Its most familiar meaning is in accordance with fact: "Is it true that you lived in France?" In this sense it is the opposite of false or untrue.
A second major meaning is genuine or authentic: "true love", "a true masterpiece". Here true contrasts with things that are imitation, superficial, or only apparently so. A third meaning, slightly more formal, is loyal and faithful: "She remained true to her principles throughout her career." This use survives in fixed expressions such as true to form and stay true to yourself.
As an adverb, true means accurately or in correct alignment: "The shot flew true." In biology it is also used in the adverb phrase breed true, meaning to produce offspring with the same characteristics as the parent. The noun use is restricted mainly to engineering and carpentry: "The beam is out of true" means it is not perfectly straight.
Etymology
True descends from Old English trēowe or trȳwe, meaning "faithful" and "trustworthy". The word is related to Old Norse trúr, Gothic triggws, and ultimately to the Proto-Germanic root *trewwaz. This root is thought to share a distant connection with the word tree, evoking the idea of something as solid and dependable as an oak. By the 13th century the meaning had broadened from "faithful to a person" to "faithful to the facts" — that is, accurate or in accordance with reality. The noun truth and the adverb truly share the same ancient root.
Example Sentences
| Sentence | Level / Usage note |
|---|---|
| It is true that regular practice leads to faster progress in English. | A2 — introductory "it is true that" structure |
| Is that story true, or did you make it up? | B1 — predicative adjective in a direct question |
| She is a true friend — she was there for me when nobody else was. | B1 — attributive adjective meaning genuine / loyal |
| The report proved to be true in every detail, which surprised the committee. | B2 — prove to be true; formal context |
| Despite the pressure to compromise, she remained true to her values throughout the negotiations. | C1 — "remain true to" expressing loyalty to principles |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| come true | After years of hard work, her dream finally came true. |
| hold true | This principle holds true for all learners, regardless of level. |
| ring true | His explanation did not quite ring true. |
| true story | The film is based on a true story. |
| true love | Finding true love takes patience and honesty. |
| stay / remain true to | She stayed true to her original vision of the project. |
| too good to be true | The offer sounded too good to be true, so I was cautious. |
| true north | He used the stars to find true north. |
| prove true | The forecast proved true — it rained all weekend. |
| out of true | The door frame was slightly out of true after the renovation. |
Usage Notes
Key Points for Learners
- Predicative vs attributive: True is commonly used both predicatively ("That is true") and attributively ("a true story"). Both are correct.
- It is true that…: This construction introduces a fact you are about to concede or confirm: "It is true that the exam is difficult, but preparation helps."
- True vs really: In informal speech, "That is so true!" is used to show strong agreement. Avoid confusing the adjective true with the adverb truly — they are not interchangeable: say "I truly believe it", not "I true believe it".
- Adverbial use: When true functions as an adverb it nearly always follows the verb: "aim true", "fly true", "breed true". It does not modify adjectives in this use — use truly for that.
- Fixed phrases: Several high-frequency phrases use true: come true, hold true, ring true, true to form. Learning these as chunks will make your English more natural.
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
She truly believed the story was truely incredible.
She truly believed the story was truly incredible. (truly, not truely — there is no 'e' before the suffix)
I hope your dream will come true very soon. ✓ This is correct — no mistake here.
He is a real friend, but I am not sure he is a true. (missing noun after true used as adjective)
He is a real friend, but I am not sure he is a true one. (adjective must modify a noun or a pronoun)
The fact is true that she left early.
It is true that she left early. (use the dummy subject it with "true that", not "the fact is true that")