A2 Expression 격식체

～と聞きました。

2253

I heard that ~.

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use ～と聞きました to politely report information you received from another person or source.

  • Means: 'I heard that...' indicating the source of your information.
  • Used in: Sharing news, confirming details, or referencing someone else's opinion.
  • Don't confuse: Don't use this for things you saw yourself; use it only for hearsay.
👂 (Ear/Listen) + 🗣️ (Speaker) = 💬 (Reported Information)

Explanation at your level:

This phrase means 'I heard that.' You use it to tell people what someone else told you. It is very useful for sharing news.
This is a polite way to report information. By adding 'to kikimashita' at the end of your sentence, you show that you are not the original source of the information, which is very common in Japanese conversation.
This expression serves as a hearsay marker. It is essential for navigating social and professional hierarchies, as it allows the speaker to relay information without asserting personal authority, thereby maintaining a polite distance from the content of the message.
Functioning as an evidential marker, this phrase allows speakers to categorize information as 'reported' rather than 'experienced.' It is a cornerstone of Japanese pragmatic competence, enabling the speaker to manage face-saving strategies in complex social interactions.
This construction exemplifies the Japanese tendency toward indirectness. By utilizing the quotation marker 'to' followed by the verb 'kikimashita,' the speaker effectively externalizes the epistemic responsibility of the proposition, a vital skill for high-level professional communication.
From a cognitive linguistic perspective, this phrase functions as a framing device that shifts the focus from the speaker's internal knowledge state to an external information source. It is deeply embedded in the Japanese cultural preference for 'yojou' (emotional resonance) and 'enryo' (restraint), where direct assertions are often perceived as intrusive.

뜻

Indicating that one has received information from someone else.

🌍

문화적 배경

Using this phrase helps maintain 'wa' (harmony) by avoiding direct, potentially confrontational statements.

💡

Plain Form

Always remember to use the plain form before 'to'.

뜻

Indicating that one has received information from someone else.

💡

Plain Form

Always remember to use the plain form before 'to'.

셀프 테스트

Fill in the blank with the correct form.

明日、パーティーがある＿＿＿聞きました。

✓ 정답! ✗ 아쉬워요. 정답: と

The particle 'to' is required for quotations.

🎉 점수: /1

시각 학습 자료

자주 묻는 질문

1 질문

No, only for information from others.

관련 표현

🔗

～そうです

similar

I heard that (hearsay)

어디서 쓸까?

🏢

Office News

A: 部長が戻ると聞きました。

B: はい、そうです。

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Imagine a giant ear (kiku) attached to your mouth, catching rumors from the air (to).

Visual Association

You are holding a telephone and repeating what you just heard to your boss.

Rhyme

To hear the news, use 'to kikimashita' to avoid the blues.

Story

Kenji told me it would rain. I told my friend, 'Kenji said it will rain.' In Japanese, I say 'Ame ga furu to kikimashita.'

Word Web

聞く話す噂情報そうですとのこと

챌린지

Ask three people for news and report it back using this phrase.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

He oído que...

Japanese requires the plain form before the quotation marker.

French high

J'ai entendu dire que...

Japanese is more concise.

German high

Ich habe gehört, dass...

Japanese uses a particle 'to' instead of a conjunction.

Chinese high

我听说...

Chinese does not require a quotation marker like 'to'.

Korean high

들었어요...

Korean uses different particles for quotation.

Portuguese high

Ouvi dizer que...

Japanese is more formal in its standard usage.

Arabic high

سمعت أن...

Arabic does not have the same 'plain form' conjugation constraints.

Japanese n/a

～と聞きました

N/A

Easily Confused

～と聞きました。 대 ～そうです

Learners mix up hearsay vs appearance.

～そうです (hearsay) uses plain form; ～そうです (looks like) uses stem.

자주 묻는 질문 (1)

No, only for information from others.

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