ということだ and ということは

Table of Contents

ということだ

I heard/They said
Plain form verb phrase + ということだ
Noun/Adjectives: + だということだ

ということだ is used for reporting second-hand information.

It is almost the same as: だそうだ and するそうだ, However it is more formal and tends to be used in things like news reports or business meetings.

Since this is reported speech, it is frequently used with によると.

Examples

彼が来年やめるということです。
I hear he’s going to quit next year.
新聞によると、今週は大雨だということです。
According to the newspaper, I hear its going to rain all week.
彼女は昨日、コロナを引いたということです。
I hear she caught a cold yesterday.

Negatives

Note: The だ/です at the end of this phrase cannot be negative, but may be past tense.
To make it negative, make the preceding verb negative.

今日はもう頑張るということではない ✖
I didn’t hear that(they are) going to try.
今日はもう頑張らないということです〇
I hear (they are) not going to try anymore today.
彼は頑張るということだった〇
I had heard that (they were) going to try.

とのことだ

Reported speech ということだ may be abbreviated as とのことだ.
However the だ with nouns must be dropped.

彼の赤ちゃんが生まれたとのことだ
I heard his baby was born.
彼女の母親は病気とのことです
I heard her mother was sick.

In the process of researching this I found one source suggesting とのことです is more commonly used with more personal information. Although this is plausible, there are plenty of examples of it being used for non-personal information, and examples of ということだ being used with personal information; So I wouldn’t worry too much about this.

とか

Reported speech ということだ can also be abbreviated* as とか in gossipy informal speech.
There is a little uncertainty in it, so its more appropriate for gossip and rumors.

*I think this is really an abbreviation of “とか聞いた”, and is closer to そうだ、but is similar enough so I’m including it here for now.

彼はもうやめるとか
I heard he’s quitting.
彼女が数人いるとか聞いたよ
I heard he has many girlfriends.
あの部長、女装しているところを見たとか
I heard that chief was spotted in women’s clothing.

といことは

So that means..
Plain form verb phrase + ということだ
Noun/Adjectives: + だということだ

ということは means “So that means”. It is used to give a conclusion.

This is basically the same as というわけだ。

This phrase is commonly used with つまり (Same meaning) and ね (I’m right, right?).

ということは is much more common at the end of a sentence.
At the end of a sentence, ということは becomes ということだ

Examples

パーティをしているということは、優勝したんだね
Since you’re having a party, I guess that means you won (The championship).
車を運転できるということは、免許を持っているということだね。
Since you’re driving a car, I guess that means you have a license.
期限にもう間に合わないということですね。
So that means we won’t make the deadline, right?
つまり、彼は裏切り者じゃないということだね。
So that means he isn’t a traitor right?
蜂は虫だから、殺虫剤はどくということだ
Because bees are bugs, that means bug spray is poison to them.
彼がいないということは、やはり合格できなかったんだね
He’s not here, so I guess that means he didn’t pass (as I expected he wouldn’t).

ってことは

Conclusion ということは/だ may be (and commonly is) abbreviated as ってことは/だ.

彼が優秀の部下だってことだ
So that means he’s a capable subordinate.
ただのアホだってことだね
So that means he’s just an idiot right.

References

Edewakaru (Reported speech, Conclusion, とのこと)
Weblio
Tanosuke