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

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 to as a conjunction so, thus
• 言(い)う iu verb say
• 事(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

Dialogue:

• In the colloquial form the copula だ is omitted and in the form ている the vowel い is omitted.

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

ということ is similar to the structures ～そうだ and ～と言(い)っていた, but is a bit stronger and more formal

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(はなし)によると or ニュース／の話(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. 結(けつ)論(ろん) ketsuron, the conclusion and 説(せつ)明(めい) setsumei, the explanation

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

Between two friends:

ということ sentence with audio and explanation

ということ followed by particles

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.

In a colloquial context we can use ってことだ or んだって.