Plain form + とのことだ

[It is said that; I heard that; reportedly]

Connection: Plain form + とのことだ

Usage: Used to report information heard from someone else. More formal and polite than そうだ (hearsay) or って. Often used in business, formal correspondence, and news reporting. Implies the speaker is relaying information faithfully.

Variations:

• とのことだ: standard form
• とのことです: polite form
• とのことでした: past polite form

Similar expressions:

• そうだ (hearsay) = more casual
• ということだ = similar but can also mean "that means"
• と聞いている = I have heard that

Examples:

田中さんは来週から出張だとのことです。(I heard that Mr. Tanaka will be on a business trip starting next week.)

会議は午後3時に変更になったとのことだ。(Reportedly, the meeting has been changed to 3 PM.)

先方からの返事は、来月中にいただけるとのことです。(I was told that we can expect a reply from the other party within next month.)