Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 2: 13/22

と言(い)う事(こと)だI heard that, Rumor has it that, It is said that, It means that

Can be rephrased to とのことだ if expresses hearsay.

Structure

Phrase + ということ + だ

Details

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About ということだ

Like ということ, an expression used for nominalizing a phrase in the fashion of 'the ~ that ~', ということだ makes use of the auxiliary verb だ (or です), and stresses that the nominalized phrase 'is' the case. This phrase is often translated as 'I heard that', or 'it is said that', but literally, it is closer to 'it is that it's ~'. The だ is what gives this expression a high degree of certainty, therefore implying that the speaker has heard the statement elsewhere, and is sure of its validity.

ということだ can be added to the end of any phrase that the speaker wants to highlight as being something that is known.

ということだ is regularly paired with other expressions that show the 'source' of information, such as によると, or によれば.

When ということだ is being used to express hearsay (statements that cannot easily be proven), it can be rephrased as とのことだ. The literal difference between these two phrases is as follows:

ということだ - It can be explained that (A) is ~ (more emphasis on the information).

とのことだ - The statement of (A) has been applied to ~ (more emphasis on the source that 'applied' the information).

Caution

ということだ is considered to be more formal than そうだ when reporting information that has been heard from another source. This is primarily due to ということだ expressing something that is thought to be a fact, while そうだ retains the nuance of being something that is a speculation/guess.

  • 彼(かれ)は家族(かぞく)に内緒(ないしょ)で旅行(りょこう)に行(い)ったそうだ。
    I heard that he went on a trip without telling his family.
  • 彼(かれ)は家族(かぞく)に内緒(ないしょ)で旅行(りょこう)に行(い)ったということだ。
    It is said that he went on a trip without telling his family.

Examples

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    人(ひと)によって考(かんが)え方(かた)が違(ちが)うという事(こと)だ。

    It is said that different people have different ways of thinking.

    イルカは動物(どうぶつ)の中(なか)で頭(あたま)が一番(いちばん)いいという事(こと)だ。

    It is said that dolphins are the smartest of all animals.

    田中(たなか)さんと山田(やまだ)さんは、秘密(ひみつ)で付(つ)き合(あ)っているという事(こと)だ。

    It is said that Tanaka-san and Yamada-san are dating in secret. (rumor has it)

    それはただ文化(ぶんか)が違(ちが)うという事(こと)だ。

    That means that their cultures are different. (it is said)

    忍耐(にんたい)先生(せんせい)によりますと、ガンの治療(ちりょう)方法(ほうほう)がとうとう見(み)つかったという事(こと)です。

    According to professor Nintai, (it is said that) the cure for cancer has been finally discovered.

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ということだ – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (18 in total)

  • Fuga

    Fuga

    Hey @ShinobiTay !

    ということだ is typically used when you have a high degree of certainty.
    この魚は全く臭くない。まだ新鮮と言う事だ。In this sentence the speaker is certain that the fish is fresh because it does not smell bad.

    とか is used when you have a low degree of certainty.
    彼は最近彼女と別れたとか。In this sentence, the speaker is not too sure if this info is accurate.

    Due to this, とか and 知らないけど, are used together very often to let the listener know that they are not sure if the information they are spreading is accurate or not ( this is done so that the speaker doesn’t have to take responsibility when it comes out that the information they gave was false) .

    明日は日本中で雪が降るとか、知らんけど。‘Apparently it is going to snow all over Japan tomorrow, but who knows (don’t blame me if it doesn’t actually snow)’

    Hope that helps!

  • ShinobiTay

    ShinobiTay

    Thank you that helps a lot!

  • bokudake

    bokudake

    Is using ということなのだ at the end of the sentence wrong instead of this grammar point? After all it only adds more emphasis.

    I failed this time, however, it means I challenged myself with new things.
    今回()は失敗()だったけど、新()しいことにチャレンジしたということだ。
    vs
    今回()は失敗()だったけど、新()しいことにチャレンジしたということなのだ。

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