ということ (to iu koto) Meaning Japanese Grammar - I Heard That
Anna Baffa Volpe
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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
0:00.00
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今度は貴樹くんの転校が決まったということ、驚きました。
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:
今度は貴樹くんの転校が決まったということを聞いて、驚きました。
I was surprised to hear that Takaki was transferred to a new school.
- I added the verb 聞く
hear,listenwhich 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:
- ということは
- ということを
- ということが
誰でも彼が正直だと言うことを知っている。
Everyone knows that he is honest.
We have the particle を which indicates the object of the sentence
彼が泥棒と言うことが判明した。
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.
その子供たちは母親がしなさいと言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.
寝坊は遅刻のいいわけにはならないと言うことを覚えておきなさい。
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...
愛し愛されるということは最大の幸福だ。
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.
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.
Similar grammar points in Japanese 📚