Lesson 102: によると・ということだ・〜っけ

N3 · Lesson 102 · 20 min — “According to ~”, “I hear ~ / so that means ~”, “what was ~ again?”: passing on news and checking things you can't recall

Last lesson you learned つまり・なぜなら・ただし and worked out that はな may be in Kyoto. This lesson teaches three ways to “pass on” and “check” information, just right for a new internship interview. Read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Name the source of news with によると／によれば: 天気予報てんきよほうに よると、〜そうです
• Pass on news you heard or a message with と いうことだ／との ことだ
• Check “so that means ~” with 〜と いうことですね
• Check something you can't recall right now with 〜っけ: 名前なまえ、何なんだっけ？

Enter Manager Tanuki

The clues point to Kyoto, but the news is over thirty years old. That day, a poster goes up on the school notice board... (掲示板けいじばん = notice board, インターン = intern, ツアー = tour)

によると = the source of the news, ということだ = I hear / so that means, っけ = checking when you can't recall. Next lesson, Rin's first project at the travel agency begins!

Words for this lesson: passing on and checking

• 〜に よると (ni yoru to): according to ~ (names the source of news)
• 〜に よれば (ni yoreba): according to ~ (= によると)
• 〜と いうことだ (to iu koto da): I hear ~; so that means ~
• 〜との ことだ (to no koto da): (passing on a message) he/she says ~
• 〜っけ (-kke): what was ~ again? (checking when you can't recall)
• 掲示板けいじばん (keijiban): notice board, bulletin board
• 募集ぼしゅうする (boshū suru): recruiting, wanted
• インターン (intān): intern, internship
• 旅行社りょこうしゃ (ryokōsha): travel agency
• ツアー (tsuā): tour, trip package
• 部長ぶちょう (buchō): department manager (a boss at a company)
• 面接めんせつ (mensetsu): interview
• ニュース (nyūsu): news
• 天気予報てんきよほう (tenki yohō): weather forecast
• 遅おくれる (okureru): to be late; (of a train) to be delayed
• まじめ (majime): serious, hardworking
• きみ (kimi): you (to juniors or equals)
• 止とまる (tomaru): to stop, to stop running
• しめきり (shimekiri): deadline
• かぎ (kagi): key

Grammar 1 / 3: によると

Nに よると（によれば）= according to N: name the source of news, and end with そうだ・らしい (I hear)

• Nに よると = according to N: N is “where the news came from”: ニュース、天気予報てんきよほう、掲示板けいじばん、先生せんせい、友ともだち. Then add “、” and say the content.
• End with そうだ・らしい: によると says “this is something I heard”, so the end of the sentence should also use a hearsay form. Verbs and い-adjectives: plain form + そうだ／らしい. Nouns and な-adjectives: 〜だ そうだ (雨あめだ そうです), but らしい takes no だ (来週らいしゅうらしい). In chat with friends, 〜って works too.
• によれば = によると: They mean the same; によれば is a little more formal. As a beginner, just learn によると first.
• Not for yourself: You can't say “わたしに よると” for your own ideas. For your opinion, use 〜と 思おもいます, which you already know.

• 天気予報てんきよほうに よると、明日あしたは 雨あめだ そうです。 — According to the weather forecast, it will rain tomorrow.
• 掲示板けいじばんに よると、インターンを 募集ぼしゅうして いる そうです。 — According to the notice board, they are looking for interns (インターン).
• ニュースに よれば、電車でんしゃが 止とまって いる らしい。 — According to the news (ニュース), the trains seem to have stopped.
• 先生せんせいに よると、試験しけんは 来週らいしゅうらしい。 — According to the teacher, the exam seems to be next week.
• くまたくんに よると、あの 店みせの ラーメンは おいしいって。 — Kumata says the ramen at that shop is really good.

Grammar 2 / 3: ということだ

Plain form + と いうことだ = ① I hear ~ ② (passing on) he/she says ~ (also との ことだ) ③ so that means ~

• ① Plain form + と いうことだ = I hear ~: Close in meaning to hearsay そうだ, but it sounds more objective and formal. It often goes with に よると and is usually said with です. Nouns and な-adjectives need だ: 試験しけんは 来週らいしゅうだと いうことです. For “I hear” in chat with friends, 〜って is enough.
• ② Plain form + との ことです = (passing on) he/she says ~: Use it to pass on someone's words. You hear it most at work, on the phone, and in messages: 部長ぶちょうは 少すこし 遅おくれる との ことです. It is usually said politely with です. との ことだ is only for ① and ②, not ③.
• ③ 〜と いうことですか／ですね = so that means ~: After the other person speaks, say what you understood and ask them to confirm. It often goes with つまり from the last lesson: つまり、〜と いうことですね.
• Not for your own ideas: と いうことだ is “what someone else said” or “a conclusion drawn from what the other person said”. For simply saying what you want to do or how you feel, just say it directly.

• ニュースに よると、電車でんしゃが 止とまって いると いうことだ。 — According to the news, I hear the trains have stopped.
• 先生せんせいに よると、試験しけんは 来週らいしゅうだと いうことです。 — According to the teacher, the exam is next week.
• 部長ぶちょうは 少すこし 遅おくれる との ことです。 — (Message) The manager says he'll be a little late.
• 店長てんちょうから 電話でんわが ありました。明日あしたは 休やすむ との ことです。 — The shop manager called and said he's off tomorrow.
• つまり、来週らいしゅうから 働はたらけると いうことですね。 — So that means I can start working next week, right?

Grammar 3 / 3: 〜っけ

〜だっけ／〜たっけ（でしたっけ）= what was ~ again?: check something you knew but can't recall right now

• っけ = what was ~ again?: When you knew or heard something but can't recall it right now, add っけ at the end to check with the other person. You can also say it to yourself. You can't use it for a first-time question.
• How to attach: だっけ・たっけ: Nouns and な-adjectives: 〜だっけ (何なんだっけ、いつだっけ). Past actions: た-form + っけ (おいたっけ、言いったっけ).
• Polite: でしたっけ・ましたっけ: To teachers, bosses, and customers: 何時なんじでしたっけ？ もう 言いいましたっけ？
• Only in speech: っけ is spoken language. Don't use it in reports or essays.

• 名前なまえ、何なんだっけ？ — What was the name again?
• しめきりは いつだっけ？ — When was the deadline again?
• かぎ、どこに おいたっけ？ — Where did I put the key again?
• この こと、もう 言いったっけ？ — Huh, did I already tell you this?
• すみません、面接めんせつは 何時なんじでしたっけ？ — Excuse me, what time was the interview again?