What does 〜to iu koto da mean and how do you use it?

「休暇を取るということだ」「つまり間に合わないということだ」 — reporting news, summing up, or restating a meaning. This lesson explains the meaning, connection rules, example sentences and common mistakes.

Does this JLPT N1 grammar lesson include practice questions?

Yes. It includes JLPT-style practice questions with detailed English explanations, so you can self-study for JLPT N1 for free.

“〜to iu koto da”: Hearsay / Conclusion / Definition [JLPT N1]

Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026

「休暇を取るということだ」「つまり間に合わないということだ」 — reporting news, summing up, or restating a meaning.

「部長は今日休むということだ」 — 「という」 closing a sentence, three meanings

「田中さんによると、部長は今日休むということだ」 (according to Tanaka, the manager is off today) — 「〜ということだ」 puts 「という」 at the sentence end as a predicate, with three tested meanings: ① hearsay (I hear …), ② conclusion (that means …), ③ definition/meaning (it means …). It's a cognate relative of mid-sentence 「ということは (that means → deduction)」 and 「というのは (what ～ is → definition)」, to be kept distinct. This guide covers 「ということだ」's three uses at once (N2).

Core: the three meanings of ということだ

「(plain clause) ＋ということだ」 at a sentence's end has three senses by context:

① hearsay (I hear ～, they say ～): often with 「〜によると／〜という話だ」, relaying heard news — 社長は来月辞任するということだ (I hear the president will resign next month).
② conclusion・that means (in other words, i.e.): summing up the prior into one line — 返事がない。つまり、断られたということだ (no reply; in other words, we were turned down).
③ definition・meaning (it means ～, it is ～): explaining what something means — 「合格」とは、60点以上取るということだ (“passing” means scoring 60 or above).

Feel: “I hear／that means／it means” — the same 「ということだ」, sorted into three by context: relaying news = hearsay; summing up = conclusion; explaining meaning = definition. Common in formal, written contexts.

The three uses & identifying clues

Use	Meaning	Identifying clue
① hearsay	I hear ～, they say ～	with 「〜によると／〜そうだ」 relaying news
② conclusion	in other words, i.e.	with 「つまり／要するに」 summing up
③ definition	it means ～, it is ～	with 「〜とは／〜というのは」 explaining meaning

Examples in context

天気予報によると、明日は大雪になるということだ。(According to the forecast, it'll snow heavily tomorrow.) — ① hearsay
全員が反対した。この案は通らないということだ。(Everyone opposed it; that means this proposal won't pass.) — ② conclusion
「内定」とは、正式採用が決まっているということだ。(An “informal offer” means formal hiring is already decided.) — ③ definition
彼から連絡がない。まだ決心がつかないということだろう。(No word from him; it probably means he can't make up his mind yet.) — ② conclusion (conjecture)
部長は出張中だということです。(I hear the manager is away on business.) — ① hearsay (polite)

⚠️ Where learners slip up

① Don't confuse 「ということだ」 (sentence-end) with 「ということは」 (mid-sentence, deduction). Cognate but different functions. ということだ = (sentence-end) hearsay/conclusion/definition (asserting ‘it is …') (断られたということだ = that means we were turned down); ということは = (mid-clause or clause-initial) ‘deducing' a conclusion from a premise (that means →) (返事がない。ということは、断られたんだ = no reply, so that means [deduce] we were turned down). Difference: 「ということだ」 asserts a conclusion to close (sentence-end); 「ということは」 is the deduction process (picking up a premise to infer, mostly mid/clause-initial). (ということは: see 〈ということは〉.)

② Hearsay 「ということだ」 vs 「そうだ」 in feel. Both mark hearsay (I hear), but 「ということだ」 is more formal, written (for news, relaying more definite info, often with 「〜によると」); 「そうだ」 is more colloquial, general (I hear ～). For relaying in a formal context use ということだ, in daily talk 〜そうだ.

③ Definition 「ということだ」 vs 「というのは」. Both explain a meaning, but positions differ: 「〜というのは、〜（ということだ）」 — 「というのは」 goes mid-clause, raising the word to explain (what ～ is; see 〈というのは〉); 「〜ということだ」 goes at the end, closing “(the meaning) is ～.” They're often used together: 「合格」というのは、60点以上ということだ (what “passing” is, is scoring 60 or above). というのは opens, ということだ closes.

🔄 Compare: ということだ／ということは／というのは／そうだ

Form	Function	Example
〜ということだ	hearsay/conclusion/definition (sentence-end assertion)	断られたということだ
〜ということは	deduce a conclusion from a premise (that means →)	消えているということは留守だ
〜というのは	what ～ is … (mid-clause, definition)	AIというのは人工知能だ
〜そうだ	I hear ～ (hearsay, colloquial general)	雨が降るそうだ

💡 How to remember this

「〜ということだ」 puts 「という」 at the sentence end, with three meanings: ① hearsay (I hear ～, they say ～, with 〜によると) (休むということだ = I hear he's off); ② conclusion・that means (summing up a situation, with つまり) (通らないということだ = that means it won't pass); ③ definition・meaning (it means ～, with 〜とは／というのは) (60点以上ということだ = it means 60 or above). Three points: ① the three senses sort by context — relaying = hearsay, summing = conclusion, explaining = definition; ② don't confuse it with 「ということは」 — ということだ is a sentence-end assertion, ということは picks up a premise to ‘deduce' (see 〈ということは〉); ③ definition often pairs with 「というのは」 (というのは opens, ということだ closes; see 〈というのは〉). Grasp the three senses “hearsay/conclusion/definition” and this high-frequency N2 pattern is solid.

❓ Quick FAQ

Q: 「ということだ」 and 「ということは」 differ by one character — how do I tell them apart?

Whether it's a ‘closing assertion' or a ‘deduction process,' and their positions differ. 「〜ということだ」 = (sentence-end) hearsay/conclusion/definition (‘asserting' a matter, closing into one line): 全員が欠席した。つまり、会議は中止だということだ (everyone was absent; in other words, the meeting is canceled — asserting the conclusion “canceled” to close). It goes at the sentence end as a predicate, asserting “(the situation) is ….” 「〜ということは」 = (mid-clause or clause-initial) ‘deducing' a conclusion from a premise (picking up a premise to infer, that means →): 全員が欠席した。ということは、会議は中止だろう (everyone was absent; so that means [deduce] the meeting is probably canceled — deducing “canceled” from “everyone absent”). It goes mid/clause-initial as a connective, marking the reasoning “(from the premise) we can infer ….” Difference: 「ということだ」 is ‘the assertion of a conclusion' (sentence-end, it is …); 「ということは」 is ‘the derivation of a deduction' (picking up a premise, so …). Trick: is it ‘asserting at the sentence end' or ‘picking up a premise to infer'? — closing at the end = ということだ; inferring from the prior = ということは. Often a sentence takes both, just with different focus: 「〜ということだ」 focuses on “the conclusion itself (it is so),” 「ということは」 on “the derivation from the premise (so …).” (ということは's deductive use: see 〈ということは〉.)

Q: How do the hearsay 「ということだ」, 「そうだ」, and 「らしい」 differ?

All three mark hearsay (I hear ～), differing in register and certainty. 「〜ということだ」 = I hear ～, they say ～ (more formal, written, mostly for relaying more definite or official info, often with 「〜によると」): 報道によると、首相が辞任するということだ (according to reports, the PM will resign — formal, like a news relay). It leans written, formal, the relayed info usually with a clear source. 「〜そうだ」 = I hear ～ (hearsay, colloquial～general, simply relaying what was heard): 田中さんが結婚するそうだ (I hear Tanaka's getting married — an everyday relay). It's the most colloquial and common, just “I hear ….” 「〜らしい」 = seems ～, I hear ～ (hearsay with conjecture, judging from signs or hearsay): 彼、最近忙しいらしい (he seems busy lately — with a bit of sign-based conjecture). It has more of a “(from some clues) inferring” flavor than 「そうだ」, less certain in tone. Test: formal, written relay (clear source) → ということだ; everyday plain “I hear” → そうだ; conjecture from signs, “seems/I hear” → らしい. So news and formal reports relay with 「ということだ」; friends chatting “I hear …” use 「そうだ」; with conjecture use 「らしい」. (The hearsay そうだ／らしい: see their own guides.)