Translation guide
In Japanese, hearsay is commonly expressed using specific grammatical patterns that mark information as something you heard from someone else. The most common and versatile pattern is 〜そうだ, but other forms like 〜らしい and 〜って convey similar meanings with different nuances.
To convey information that you obtained from another source, without asserting it as your own direct knowledge.
Attach to the plain form of a verb, adjective, or noun + だ to indicate 'I heard that...'. This is the standard, neutral way to report hearsay in both spoken and written Japanese.
I heard it will rain tomorrow.
I heard he's moving next week.
Also means 'I heard that...' but often implies the information is based on some evidence or rumor. It can sound slightly more indirect or speculative than 〜そうだ.
I heard that restaurant is really good.
A casual, colloquial way to quote what you heard. Often used in conversation. It can directly follow the quoted phrase.
I heard tomorrow is a holiday.
A more formal or written expression meaning 'it is said that...' or 'I heard that...'. Often used in news reports or formal explanations.
I heard the meeting was postponed.
A very casual, conversational form combining 〜んだ (explanatory) and 〜って (hearsay). Used among friends.
I heard he's studying abroad next year.
Referring to the concept of hearsay or rumor itself, rather than reporting specific information.
The formal term for 'hearsay' or 'secondhand information'. Often used in legal or academic contexts.
Hearsay evidence is sometimes not admissible in court.
Means 'rumor' or 'gossip'. Often used for unverified information spreading among people.
A literary or formal term for 'rumor' or 'hearsay'. Less common in everyday speech.
To explicitly state where you heard something from.
〜そうだ is the most direct and neutral hearsay marker. 〜らしい often adds a nuance of conjecture based on evidence or rumor. 〜って is casual and conversational, often used when directly quoting what someone said. In formal writing, 〜ということだ is preferred.
The pattern 〜そうだ can also mean 'it looks like...' when attached to the stem of a verb or adjective (e.g., 雨が降りそうだ = It looks like it will rain). Context usually makes the meaning clear, but be careful with ambiguous cases.
I don't know if that rumor is true or not.
風聞によると、彼は辞職するらしい。
According to hearsay, he is going to resign.
From what he says, that movie is interesting.
I heard it will rain. (hearsay)