~ということだ
〜to iu koto da
JLPT N3 Neutral
Formation
Verb-casual + ということだ, い-Adjective + ということだ, な-Adjective + だということだ, Noun + だということだ
Express a conclusion or hearsay; 'I heard', 'it means', 'it can be said'.
When to use
Hearsay - "I heard that/it's said that" - similar to らしい but frames it as a direct report.
Explanation
The ~ということだ grammar point is used to express a conclusion, summary, or hearsay about a certain situation or statement. It can be translated as 'I heard', 'it means', or 'it can be said' in English. This grammar point is often used with verbs, adjectives, and nouns.
Example sentences
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I heard that he is getting married next week.
Kare wa raishuu kekkon suru to iu koto da.
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It means this exam is difficult.
Kono shiken wa muzukashii to iu koto da.
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I heard that she has moved.
Kanojo ga hikkoshita to iu koto da.
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It can be said that his work is not going well.
Kare wa shigoto ga umaku ikanai da to iu koto da.
Inference (It Seems / Probably)
- ~だろう〜darouN4Express probability, likelihood or certainty; 'probably'…
- ~ようだ〜you daN4Expresses appearance, similarity or inference; 'it seems'…
- ~らしい〜rashiiN3Expresses hearsay; 'I heard', 'it seems', 'apparently'.
- ~んだって〜n datteN3Conveys information heard from someone else; 'I heard'…
- ~かもしれない〜kamoshirenaiN4Express uncertainty; 'maybe', 'might', 'possibly'.
- もしかすると〜かもしれないmoshikasuru to 〜kamoshirenaiN3Express the possibility of something; 'maybe', 'perhaps'…
- ~とのことだ〜to no koto daN1Expresses something that the speaker heard; 'I've heard…
- ~とみえて〜to mieteN1It seems that; apparently
- ~まい〜maiN2Express a negative conjecture or determination; 'probably…
- ~そうだ〜sou daN4Express the appearance, seeming, or feeling of something…
- ~に決まっている〜ni kimatte iruN2Express certainty; 'it is obvious', 'it must be', 'no…
Corpus examples (37)
愛を恐れるということは、人生を恐れるということだ。そして人生を恐れている者は、もう死んだも同然である。
To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.
結局のところ、人間が異なれば、彼らが伝統的に食べてきた食べ物の種類によって、食べ方も異なるということだ。
After all, different people have different ways of eating, according to the kinds of food which they have traditionally eaten.
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The fact is that he did not notice the difference.
これらの数字が示すのは、大学1年生の5人中3人が政治に無関心だということだ。
These figures indicate three in five college first-year students are indifferent to politics.
最初に大学に入って一番驚いたのは、効果的な勉強方法を知っているクラスメートがごく僅かだったということだ。
What surprised me most when I first entered college was how few of my classmates knew how to study efficiently.
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The point is Tom wasn't lying.
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Choosing something means giving something up.
警察によれば、真夏のうだるような暑さがその暴動に火をつけたということだ。
The police blamed the hot dog-days for sparking the riot.
微分方程式を解くというのは、それを満足するような関数を見つけ出すということだ。
Resolving a differential equation means finding the functions that satisfy it.
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All the signs are that she is getting better.
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According to the weather forecast, it will clear up tomorrow.
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It is said that the fox is more cunning than any other animal.
誰か他の人に聞かなければいけないということだよ。
You'll have to ask someone else.
あなたがここにいるということは、気に掛けているということだ。
If you are here, it means you care.
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The point is that mother is not very hard on the child.
彼の主張は、生まれの順番と性格の間には密接な関連があるということだ。
His claim is that there is a close relation between birth order and personality.
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It's said that they will soon be leaving Tokyo.
ここで明確にしなければならない点は、スポーツにおいてアマチュアとプロフェッショナルの境界線が消失しつつあるということだ。
The point we must clarify here is that the lines between amateur and professional in sport are beginning to disappear.
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People who go to church apparently believe in existence of God.
彼が来ないということは、彼は興味がないということだ、と私はとった。
I took his not coming to indicate that he wasn't interested.
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After all, you have to look after number one.
ボブとルーシーは交際をやめたということだ。
I hear that Bob and Lucy have broken up.
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When it comes to the news, Hong Kong has already lost its freedom, or so I've heard.
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Casualties are said to total up to 1,000.
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To summarize, I'm saying that society is becoming better.