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ということ (to iu koto) Meaning Japanese Grammar - I Heard That

Author Anna Baffa Volpe for article 'ということ (to iu koto) Meaning Japanese Grammar - I Heard That'

Anna Baffa Volpe

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:

  • to as a conjunction so, thus
  • ()iu verb say
  • (こと) koto thing, 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
Plain form of the verb+ということ
Noun+ということ
Adjective[い]+ということ
Adjective[な]without な +ということ

Dialogue:

お母さん

宿(しゅく)(だい)はやったの?

Did you do your homework?

絵子ちゃん

(でん)()したり、お(さら)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.

(わたし)今日(きょう)がお(かあ)さんの(たん)(じょう)()だといとこを(わす)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...

(でん)(ぶん) denbun, things we have heard and reported, hearsay, rumors

あなたが(かい)(しゃ)をやめるということは(ほん)(とう)ですか。

Is it true that you are leaving your company?

(えい)()(せん)(げつ)()けた()(けん)(ごう)(かく)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()っていた, but is a bit stronger and more formal

(てん)()()(ほう)によると、(しゅう)(まつ)には(たい)(ふう)(じょう)(りく)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(はなし)によると or ニュース/の(はなし)

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. (けつ)(ろん) ketsuron, the conclusion and (せつ)(めい) setsumei, the explanation

(かい)(てん)は10()()(てい)だから、あと1()(かん)()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(かえ)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(ほん)で50ユーロだった。

This wine cost 50 euros for 2 bottles.

モニカ

つまり、1(ぽん)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

0:00.00

-1:0-1.00

(こん)()(たか)()くんの(てん)(こう)()まったということ、(おどろ)きました。

I was surprised to hear that Takaki was transferred to a new school.

We could add a verb in the sentence to make explicit the aspect of the reported news:

(こん)()(たか)()くんの(てん)(こう)()まったということを()いて、(おどろ)きました。

I was surprised to hear that Takaki was transferred to a new school.

  • I added the verb 聞く hear, listen which was implied in the sentence: I heard that ... and I was surprised.

ということ followed by particles

こと as a noun can be followed by various particles, for example:

  • ということ
  • ということ
  • ということ

(だれ)でも(かれ)(しょう)(じき)だと()うことを()っている。

Everyone knows that he is honest.

We have the particle を which indicates the object of the sentence

(かれ)(どろ)(ぼう)()うことが(はん)(めい)した。

It turned out that he was a thief.

In this sentence the structure becomes subject of the sentence with the particle が: it has been discovered that he is a thief.

その()(ども)たちは(はは)(おや)がしなさいと()うことをしようとしなかった。

Those children didn't want to do what their mothers told them to do.

The object with the particle を: children don't do what their mothers say they do.

()(ぼう)()(こく)のいいわけにはならないと()うことを(おぼ)えておきなさい。

Remember that sleeping too much is not a good excuse to be late.

As in the previous sentences, the object expressed by the particle を: remember this is not a good excuse...

(あい)(あい)されるということは(さい)(だい)(こう)(ふく)だ。

To love and be loved is the greatest happiness.

The theme of the sentence expressed by the particle は.

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.

(むす)()さんが(だい)(がく)(ごう)(かく)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(そつ)(ぎょう)したらカナダに(かえ)るんだって。

I heard that Tom is going back to Canada after he graduates.