ということ
🃏 Flashcard
ということ
to iu koto
Tap to reveal usage
convert phrase into noun
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
to iu koto
Post ID
50791
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
convert phrase into noun
📖 How to use it
Turns any clause into a noun phrase, meaning 'the fact that' or 'that'.
Attaches to
Attaches to the plain form of verbs and adjectives, and to nouns followed by だ. For example: 行く (dictionary), 行った (past), 高い (い-adj), 静かだ (な-adj + だ), 学生だ (noun + だ). Then add ということ.
You can put ということ after a whole sentence to make it act like a noun. This is useful when you want to say 'the fact that...' or 'that...' as a subject, object, or after particles like は, が, を, に. For example, instead of just saying 彼は来る (he comes), you can say 彼は来るということ (the fact that he comes) and then use that as a topic: 彼は来るということは知っている (I know the fact that he comes).
彼が来るということを聞きましたか。
Kare ga kuru to iu koto o kikimashita ka.
Did you hear that he is coming?
日本に住んだことがあるということは、とてもいい経験です。
Nihon ni sunda koto ga aru to iu koto wa, totemo ii keiken desu.
The fact that I have lived in Japan is a very good experience.
彼女が学生だということを知らなかった。
Kanojo ga gakusei da to iu koto o shiranakatta.
I didn't know that she is a student.
Not こと
こと alone can also nominalize, but ということ emphasizes the content of the statement or fact. For example, 彼が来ることを知っている is fine, but ということ often adds a nuance of 'the fact/idea that' and is more common when quoting or explaining.
Register
Neutral; used in both spoken and written Japanese, but in casual speech it is often shortened to ってこと.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ということ
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ということ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ということ. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ということ mean?
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Convert phrase into noun
What JLPT level is ということ?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ということ in a sentence?
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Attach ということ (to iu koto) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ということ formal or casual Japanese?
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ということ is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember ということ long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.