Observation - Hearsay

と聞いた

Used when you heard something, but not from someone specifically identifiable: general knowledge, a rumour, etc.

[!info] Example 彼はバカ==と聞いた==。 They say he's an idiot (I've heard that he's an idiot).

と言われている

Used for something you heard by someone identifiable: for example, you were told by someone. For nouns, だ is placed before.

[!info] Example このレストランのカレーはおいしいだ==と言われています==。 The curry of this restaurant is good (someone told me).

んだって

い-Adj

な-Adj + な

N + な

+ んだって・んですって

Used to quote something that you heard in a casual conversation. 🛠 nuance with と言われている? Similar in the quotation sense to Description#って・って言う・と言う, but here the nuance is that the information is new or unexpected.

[!info] Example ワールドカップでアルゼンチンが{勝|か}した==んだって==! Argentina won the world cup! (you just saw it on TV but you were doing something else and are surprised)

そうだ

V (casual)

い-Adj

な-Adj + だ

N + だ

+ そうだ

Means "I heard that". Do not confuse with Observation - looking like#そうだ.

[!info] Examples テストは{難|むず}しい==だそうだ==。 The exam is said to be difficult.

ということだ

It is used for hearsay. Has a nuance of being sure of the validity. Can also be used for a meaning close to "this means". More formal than そうだ. Can be used as ==ということだ== or ==とのことだ==. A more casual version is ==ってことだ==.

[!info] Examples {専門家|せん|もん|か}によると、{今年|ことし}の{夏|なつ}は{最高|さいこう}{暑|あつ}くなる==ということです==。 According to the experts, this summer will be the hottest ever.

Summing it up

🛠 Todo: understand the nuances.

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