A fact is something that is actually true and can be proven or verified. When you state a fact, you're not sharing an opinion or a guess: you're stating something real that can be checked and confirmed.

For example, “Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit” is a fact. Anyone with a thermometer can test it and get the same result. “George Washington was the first President of the United States” is a fact you can verify by looking at historical records. “My backpack weighs eight pounds” is a fact you can prove with a scale.

Facts are different from opinions, which are personal beliefs or preferences that can vary from person to person. “Chocolate ice cream tastes better than vanilla” is an opinion, not a fact, because people genuinely disagree. But “this ice cream contains chocolate” is a fact that can be verified by checking the ingredients.

Sometimes people say “that's a fact” to emphasize that they're certain about something. Scientists rely on facts gathered through careful observation and experimentation. Historians study facts from documents and artifacts to understand the past. In school, you learn to distinguish between facts and opinions, and to check your sources when you're not sure whether something is actually true.

When someone asks you to “get your facts straight,” they're saying you need to make sure your information is correct before you speak.