ときいた
Meanings
- I heard that
- I was told that
- I heard (the information) that...
About this pattern
Explanation
ときいた is the past tense form of the quotative construction と + 聞く, meaning “I heard that ~” or “I was told that ~.” It is used when you relay information you heard from someone else rather than expressing your own certainty. The pattern can refer to something you learned recently or in the past. It often appears in reporting what someone has claimed, what a source reported, or what you were told by others. In casual speech, it can be followed by a sentence-ending particle or a change in tense depending on the context. Typical contexts include rumors, second-hand information, or background facts you didn’t verify yourself.
Learn in context
Example sentences
I heard that Tanaka is changing jobs.
I heard from the weather forecast that it will rain tomorrow.
I heard that he will come, but I’m not sure if he’ll really come.
I heard that the exam will be difficult.
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More N4 patterns
Or something; Any... (with question words); No matter (who)
View detailseasy to (do); likely to (happen); easy to be affected by
View detailsDifficult to; Hard to; Not easy to do something
View detailsGradually; Little by little; Step by step
View detailsmore and more; rapidly; increasing quickly; progressively
View detailsWe/They/You all (plural forms); These/Those (plural demonstratives); Plural suffix for certain pronouns and demonstratives
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