ということ (to iu koto) Meaning Japanese Grammar - I Heard That
Anna Baffa Volpe
6 min reading time
The expression ということ (to iu koto) has various meanings: I heard that, it seems that, or in other words, this means that etc.
In this post we learn more about the meaning of ということ, how it is formed, and when ということ is used through real example sentences.
How ということ is formed
Let's first have a look at the single parts of this expression:
- と
toas a conjunction so, thus - 言う
iuverb say - 事
kotothing, fact, event
⇨ The so-called thing, the so-called fact
ということ can be followed by various verbs, some are:
- ということだ／だった copula だ in its various forms
- ということになる／なった we find koto ni naru
- ということにする／した we find koto ni suru
Dialogue:
お母さん
宿題はやったの?
Did you do your homework?
絵子ちゃん
電話したり、お皿をあらったりしてたの。
I made a phone call, did the dishes...
お母さん
つまり、まだやってないということね。
Then that means you haven't done it yet...
絵子ちゃん
...はい
Yes...
- In the colloquial form the copula だ is omitted and in the form ている the vowel い is omitted.
私は今日がお母さんの誕生日だといとこを忘れていました。
I forgot today is my mom's birthday.
How and when to use ということ
We can summarize the use of this structure in two points:
- when we listen and report facts or events to someone;
- when from the observation of the facts we arrive at a conclusion, often natural and deducible from what is stated
ということ and hearsay
A common use of ということだ is when reporting something heard from other people: so it seems, I heard that...
伝聞 denbun, things we have heard and reported, hearsay, rumors
あなたが会社をやめるということは本当ですか。
Is it true that you are leaving your company?
英子は先月受けた試験に合格したということだ。
I heard that Eiko passed the test she took last month.
ということ is similar to the structures ～そうだ and ～と言っていた, but is a bit stronger and more formal
天気予報によると、週末には台風が上陸するということだ。
According to the weather forecast, the typhoon will arrive over the weekend.
To clarify the sources from which the news comes, ということだ is often used together with ニュース／の話によると or ニュース／の話
ということ in the conclusions
We listen to or observe a fact, an event, a situation and we come to conclusions. Another use when we go to explain the reasons, the context of something. 結論 ketsuron, the conclusion and 説明 setsumei, the explanation
開店は１０時の予定だから、あと１時間待たなければいけないということだね。
The shop is scheduled to open at 10, so that means we have to wait another hour.
An expression that is used together with ということだ is つまり〜だ: in short, in other words, that is
つまり、あなたはもう帰りたいということなのですか。
Does this mean you want to go home now?
Between two friends:
ララ
このワインは２本で50ユーロだった。
This wine cost 50 euros for 2 bottles.
モニカ
つまり、１本２５ユーロだということね。
So that means 25 euros a bottle.
ということ sentence with audio and explanation
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Support us to unlockとのことだ synonym of ということだ
ということだ can be replaced by とのことだ: it is generally used in letters or in greetings in formal situations.
息子さんが大学に合格したとのこと、おめでとうございます。
Congratulations on your son's admission to the University.
In a colloquial context we can use ってことだ or んだって.
トムさんは卒業したらカナダに帰るんだって。
I heard that Tom is going back to Canada after he graduates.
