目錄
The Japanese expressions “〜って,” “〜ということだ,” and “〜そうだ” can all be translated as “I heard…” or “apparently,” but what really differs is how the information is being passed along. “明日休みだって” sounds like casually relaying something you just heard. “明日は休みだということです” feels more like reorganizing and restating the content of a notice. “明日は休みだそうです,” meanwhile, directly tells the listener that the information came from an external source rather than from the speaker’s own confirmation.
English can often handle all of these with a single phrase such as “I heard,” but Japanese distinguishes them more finely. Whether someone actually said those words, whether you are formally relaying a notice, or whether you simply want to indicate that the information came from elsewhere can all affect which form you choose. Once these three ways of reporting information are separated, the “〜って” heard constantly in Japanese dramas, the workplace-friendly “〜ということです,” and the neutral hearsay “〜そうです” become much easier to distinguish.
What Do “〜って,” “〜ということだ,” and “〜そうだ” Mean in Japanese?
“〜って” is originally a colloquial quotation marker. It can quote what someone said, and at the end of a sentence it can omit expressions such as “言っていた” or “聞いた,” leaving only the quoted content and producing a meaning similar to “I heard that…”. “〜ということだ” presents the preceding sentence as a complete piece of information. In addition to reporting information, it can also mean “in other words” or “that means…” when drawing a conclusion. Hearsay “〜そうだ” has a more focused function: it mainly indicates that the preceding information came from someone else, the news, a weather forecast, or another external source.
All three must also be distinguished from the appearance-based “〜そうだ,” which expresses a judgment based on what the speaker can currently observe. For example, “雨が降るそうだ” means “I heard it is going to rain,” based on a forecast or another source, while “雨が降りそうだ” means “It looks like it is going to rain,” based on darkening skies or gathering clouds.
- Example: 明日は会社が休みだって。
Kana: あしたはかいしゃがやすみだって。
Translation: I heard the company is closed tomorrow.
“〜って” brings newly heard information directly into the conversation and is especially natural for casual word-of-mouth between people who know each other. - Example: 連絡によると、明日は会社が休みだということです。
Kana: れんらくによると、あしたはかいしゃがやすみだということです。
Translation: According to the notice, the company is closed tomorrow.
The preceding content is being reorganized and presented as a complete piece of information, making it more explicit than a simple “〜って.” - Example: 明日は会社が休みだそうです。
Kana: あしたはかいしゃがやすみだそうです。
Translation: I heard the company is closed tomorrow.
“〜そうです” directly marks the information as something obtained from another source rather than something independently established by the speaker.
How Do “〜って,” “〜ということだ,” and “〜そうだ” Connect? Conjugation Rules
“〜って,” “〜ということだ,” and hearsay “〜そうだ” basically follow the plain form of a sentence. Verbs can appear in present, past, or negative forms; い-adjectives attach directly; and な-adjectives and nouns retain “だ” in the affirmative non-past form.
That means forms such as “静かだって,” “静かだということだ,” and “静かだそうだ” are all possible. The same applies to nouns: “先生だって,” “先生だということだ,” and “先生だそうだ.”
| Word Class | “〜って” | “〜ということだ” | Hearsay “〜そうだ” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb | 雨が降るって | 雨が降るということだ | 雨が降るそうだ |
| Past verb | 電車が止まったって | 電車が止まったということだ | 電車が止まったそうだ |
| Negative verb | 来ないって | 来ないということだ | 来ないそうだ |
| い-adjective | 高いって | 高いということだ | 高いそうだ |
| な-adjective | 静かだって | 静かだということだ | 静かだそうだ |
| Noun | 先生だって | 先生だということだ | 先生だそうだ |
Hearsay “〜そうだ” follows the plain form, so “雨が降るそうだ” keeps the dictionary form “降る.” Appearance “〜そうだ,” by contrast, uses the verb stem formed by removing “ます,” producing “降りそうだ.” The addition of just one “り” changes the grammatical function entirely.
“〜って” Usage｜Quoting or Briefly Relaying Information in Conversation
“〜って” is the most conversational of the three forms. It can originally function as a quotation marker, as in “田中さんが行かないって言ってた,” meaning “Mr. Tanaka said he isn’t going.” In actual conversation, the following “言ってた” or “聞いた” is frequently omitted, leaving only “行かないって,” which then appears in English as something like “I heard he isn’t going.”
This is why “〜って” should not be memorized only as a hearsay grammar form. Its range is broader than “I heard.” It can repeat something the other person just said, or it can share new information heard from a third party.
- Example: この映画、来週で終わるって。
Kana: このえいが、らいしゅうでおわるって。
Translation: I heard this movie finishes its run next week.
The information that the movie will stop showing is brought directly into casual conversation without explaining exactly where it came from. - Example: 田中さん、来月大阪に転勤するんだって。
Kana: たなかさん、らいげつおおさかにてんきんするんだって。
Translation: I heard Mr. Tanaka is transferring to Osaka next month.
“〜んだって” combines “〜んだ” with the quotation marker “って” and is very common for passing along newly learned information. - Example: あのカフェ、朝七時から開いているって。
Kana: あのカフェ、あさしちじからあいているって。
Translation: I heard that café opens at seven in the morning.
Everyday information such as business hours is very naturally shared with “〜って” between acquaintances.
“〜ということだ” Usage｜Presenting the Content as a Complete Piece of Information
“〜ということだ” treats the entire preceding sentence as “one fact” or “one piece of content.” When used for reported information, it often appears with source expressions such as “〜によると,” “〜の話では,” and “〜からの連絡では,” and can be translated as “according to…,” “I was informed that…,” or “the information is that…”.
This form is indeed more formal than sentence-final “〜って,” but it should not simply be understood as the formal version of “〜って.” “〜ということだ” also has another important function: drawing a conclusion from what came before, meaning “in other words” or “that means…”. The two uses look identical, so the distinction depends on whether the preceding context provides a source of information or facts from which a conclusion is being drawn.
- Example: 天気予報によると、午後から雪になるということです。
Kana: てんきよほうによると、ごごからゆきになるということです。
Translation: According to the weather forecast, it will start snowing in the afternoon.
“天気予報によると” clearly identifies the information source, so this is a reported-information use. - Example: 会社からの連絡では、来月から勤務時間が変わるということです。
Kana: かいしゃからのれんらくでは、らいげつからきんむじかんがかわるということです。
Translation: According to the company notice, working hours will change starting next month.
The sentence reorganizes and restates the content of the company notice as a complete item of information. - Example: 担当者の話では、申込期限が延長されたということです。
Kana: たんとうしゃのはなしでは、もうしこみきげんがえんちょうされたということです。
Translation: According to the person in charge, the application deadline has been extended.
The source is introduced first, followed by “〜ということです” to communicate the content in a complete form, making it suitable for relatively formal reporting.
In workplace emails or formal relaying of someone else’s statement, “〜とのことです” is also very common. For example, “担当者から、日程が変更になったとのことです.” Compared with “〜ということです,” “〜とのことです” more directly preserves the sense that “this is what the other party said.”
“〜そうだ” Usage｜Neutrally Marking Information as Coming from an External Source
Hearsay “〜そうだ” mainly marks a statement as information obtained externally. The source may be a friend, the news, a weather forecast, a store employee, or something else. If the source matters, it can be added with expressions such as “ニュースによると” or “友達の話では”; if it does not matter, “〜そうです” can stand on its own.
“〜そうだ” does not mean the information is unreliable. It simply presents the content as something learned from an external source rather than a judgment reached through the speaker’s own direct observation.
- Example: この町には有名な温泉があるそうです。
Kana: このまちにはゆうめいなおんせんがあるそうです。
Translation: I heard there is a famous hot spring in this town.
The travel information comes from another source, and the speaker is simply passing it along. - Example: その店は予約しないと入れないそうです。
Kana: そのみせはよやくしないとはいれないそうです。
Translation: I heard you cannot get into that restaurant without a reservation.
The focus is that the restaurant rule was learned from elsewhere, without emphasizing exactly who provided the information. - Example: ニュースでは、台風は今夜この地域に接近するそうです。
Kana: ニュースでは、たいふうはこんやこのちいきにせっきんするそうです。
Translation: The news says the typhoon will approach this area tonight.
“ニュースでは” identifies the source, while “〜そうです” marks the following content as hearsay information.
What Is the Difference Between “〜って,” “〜ということだ,” and “〜そうだ”?
The biggest difference among the three is not how trustworthy the information is, but how someone else’s information is being handed to the next listener. “〜って” preserves a strong conversational quotation feel, “〜ということだ” organizes the content into a complete piece of information, and hearsay “〜そうだ” simply marks the information as externally obtained.
| Comparison | “〜って” | “〜ということだ” | Hearsay “〜そうだ” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic function | Casual quotation／reporting | Organizes content as one piece of information | Reports externally obtained information |
| Register | Highly conversational | Neutral to formal | Neutral |
| Common situations | Friends chatting, drama dialogue | Explanations, handovers, information summaries | General reporting, descriptions, news-like statements |
| Preserves quotation feel | Strong | Moderate | Weak |
| Other functions | Yes, can directly quote speech | Yes, can mean “that is to say” | Yes, separate appearance “そうだ” exists |
| Source indication | Often omitted | Often appears with “〜によると” etc. | Optional |
| Typical example | 明日休みだって | 明日休みだということだ | 明日休みだそうだ |
▌“〜って” vs. “〜ということだ”｜Quoting Information vs. Organizing Information
“〜って” feels like bringing something you just heard directly into the current conversation, so it is light and closely tied to surrounding dialogue. “〜ということだ” organizes the information into the sense of “this is what the situation／information is,” giving it a stronger explanatory tone.
- Example: 駅前に新しい店ができるって。
Kana: えきまえにあたらしいみせができるって。
Translation: I heard a new shop is opening in front of the station.
This sounds like casually sharing a small piece of news with someone you know. - Example: 市からの案内では、駅前に新しい施設ができるということです。
Kana: しからのあんないでは、えきまえにあたらしいしせつができるということです。
Translation: According to the city’s notice, a new facility will be built in front of the station.
The source is explicit, and the content is presented as a complete piece of information.
Using “市からの案内では〜ということです” in casual conversation with friends is grammatically fine, but it will sound more like a report or formal explanation. Conversely, ending a formal notification with only “〜って” can sound overly casual.
▌“〜ということだ” vs. “〜そうだ”｜Organized Information vs. Hearsay Marking
“〜ということだ” focuses on the entire preceding content and presents it as an item of information, while “〜そうだ” has a narrower function: it mainly tells the listener that the information came from somewhere else.
- Example: 担当者からの連絡では、受付は九時に始まるということです。
Kana: たんとうしゃからのれんらくでは、うけつけはくじにはじまるということです。
Translation: According to the notice from the person in charge, registration begins at nine.
The source is explicitly stated, and the sentence sounds like someone organizing the schedule information. - Example: 受付は九時に始まるそうです。
Kana: うけつけはくじにはじまるそうです。
Translation: I heard registration begins at nine.
If you simply need to relay the start time, “〜そうです” is enough.
Neither sentence is inherently more reliable than the other. Information from an official source can still be expressed with “〜そうです,” and information from an unclear source does not automatically become more trustworthy simply because it is phrased with “〜ということです.”
▌Hearsay “〜そうだ” vs. Appearance “〜そうだ”｜Information You Heard vs. a Judgment Based on What You See
Hearsay “〜そうだ” and appearance “〜そうだ” are written the same way, but their connection rules are completely different. Hearsay follows the plain form, while the appearance form uses the verb stem formed by removing “ます.”
- Example: 明日は雨が降るそうです。
Kana: あしたはあめがふるそうです。
Translation: I heard it will rain tomorrow.
“降る” is the plain form, and the information comes from a forecast or another external source. - Example: 空が暗くなってきました。雨が降りそうです。
Kana: そらがくらくなってきました。あめがふりそうです。
Translation: The sky is getting dark. It looks like it is going to rain.
“降り” is formed from “降ります” by removing “ます,” and the speaker is judging from the current situation.
The difference is also easy to see with い-adjectives:
- この店は高いそうです。
I heard this store is expensive. - この店は高そうです。
This store looks expensive.
Hearsay preserves the “い” in “高い,” while appearance changes it to “高そう.” Once the connection changes, the source of information changes with it.
▌“〜って” vs. “〜らしい”｜Quoted Content vs. Inference Based on Information
The starting point of “〜って” is quotation, and it can often be understood as something someone actually said. “〜らしい,” by contrast, indicates that the speaker judges something to probably be true based on information, evidence, or other clues, so there may not be any single original statement that can be reconstructed.
- Example: 山田さん、今日は来ないって。
Kana: やまださん、きょうはこないって。
Translation: Mr. Yamada said he isn’t coming today／I heard Mr. Yamada isn’t coming today.
The focus is that someone communicated the content “he is not coming today,” so the quotation relationship is relatively clear. - Example: 電気が消えているし、山田さんはもう帰ったらしい。
Kana: でんきがきえているし、やまださんはもうかえったらしい。
Translation: The lights are off, so it looks like Mr. Yamada has already gone home.
The speaker is making an inference from the surrounding evidence; nobody necessarily said “山田さんは帰った.”
If the information genuinely comes from something someone directly said, “〜って” is natural. If the judgment is pieced together from fragments of information, surrounding circumstances, or indirect reports, “〜らしい” is closer in nuance.
How Does the Nuance Change When the Same Information Uses All Three Hearsay Forms?
The information “the company is closed tomorrow” does not change, but the way it is passed along does.
- Example: 明日、会社休みだって。
Kana: あした、かいしゃやすみだって。
Translation: I heard the company is closed tomorrow.
This sounds like casually sharing something just heard during a lunch break with coworkers and has the strongest conversational feel. - Example: 会社からの連絡では、明日は休みだということです。
Kana: かいしゃからのれんらくでは、あしたはやすみだということです。
Translation: According to the company notice, tomorrow is a day off.
The speaker is organizing and relaying the content of an official company notification, making it suitable for a handover or explanation. - Example: 明日は会社が休みだそうです。
Kana: あしたはかいしゃがやすみだそうです。
Translation: I heard the company is closed tomorrow.
When the only goal is to indicate that this information came from another source, “〜そうです” is natural.
In casual conversation, “〜って” is usually the lightest. When the source and content need to be presented clearly, “〜ということです” is more suitable. When you simply want to neutrally relay externally obtained information, hearsay “〜そうです” is the most concise.
The Two Meanings of “〜ということだ”: How Do You Distinguish “I Heard…” from “That Means…”?
In addition to reporting information, “〜ということだ” can express a conclusion drawn from preceding facts, usually translated as “that means…” or “in other words…”. In this use, there is no information source and nobody is reporting what someone else said.
For example:
出口は一つしかない。つまり、同じ道を戻るということだ。
There is only one exit. In other words, we have to go back the same way.
Here, “〜ということだ” does not mean “I heard we have to go back the same way.” It is the logical conclusion drawn from the fact that there is only one exit.
Compare these two:
- Example: 先生の話では、試験は来週だということです。
Kana: せんせいのはなしでは、しけんはらいしゅうだということです。
Translation: According to the teacher, the exam is next week.
The phrase “先生の話では” provides an external source, so this is reported information. - Example: 今日はまだ月曜日だ。試験まで一週間あるということだ。
Kana: きょうはまだげつようびだ。しけんまでいっしゅうかんあるということだ。
Translation: Today is only Monday. That means there is still one week until the exam.
The second sentence is a conclusion drawn from the date in the first sentence rather than hearsay.
A useful way to distinguish them is to look for source expressions such as “〜によると,” “〜の話では,” or “〜からの連絡では.” If there is no source and the preceding context already provides facts that can support an inference, “〜ということだ” is often functioning as a conclusion.
How Are Japanese Hearsay Expressions Actually Used? Examples from Casual Conversation, Work, and Weather Information
Hearsay expressions change with the speaking situation. Casual conversation prioritizes speed and ease of relaying information, so “〜って” is common. Workplace communication often requires clearer presentation of both source and content, making “〜ということです” and “〜とのことです” more likely. In general descriptions where the only goal is to show that the information was heard elsewhere, “〜そうです” is very natural.
▌Situation ①｜Sharing Something You Just Heard During Lunch
A：佐藤さん、来月結婚するんだって。
さとうさん、らいげつけっこんするんだって。
I heard Mr. Sato is getting married next month.
B：本当？昨日会ったのに、何も聞かなかった。
ほんとう？きのうあったのに、なにもきかなかった。
Really? I saw him yesterday, but I didn’t hear anything.
📌 Grammar Point: “〜んだって” has the conversational feel of immediately sharing newly heard information. Changing it to “結婚するということです” would still be grammatically understandable, but in this kind of friendly conversation it would sound unnecessarily formal and explanatory.
▌Situation ②｜A Coworker Relays a Meeting Schedule
A：総務からの連絡では、明日の会議は十時からだということです。
そうむからのれんらくでは、あしたのかいぎはじゅうじからだということです。
According to the notice from General Affairs, tomorrow’s meeting starts at ten.
B：分かりました。資料は九時半までに共有します。
わかりました。しりょうはくじはんまでにきょうゆうします。
Understood. I’ll share the materials by nine thirty.
📌 Grammar Point: “総務からの連絡では” identifies the source first, and “〜ということです” then organizes the content of the notice. Compared with “十時からだって,” this is more appropriate for a situation where work arrangements need to be confirmed.
▌Situation ③｜Relaying Weather Information
A：週末はかなり暑くなるそうですよ。
しゅうまつはかなりあつくなるそうですよ。
I heard it’s going to get quite hot this weekend.
B：じゃあ、出かけるなら朝のほうがよさそうですね。
じゃあ、でかけるならあさのほうがよさそうですね。
Then if we’re going out, morning looks like the better option.
📌 Grammar Point: A’s “暑くなるそうです” is hearsay, indicating that the information about the weekend getting hotter comes from a forecast or another external source. B’s “よさそうです,” however, is the appearance／judgment form, expressing that morning seems preferable based on the information just given. The two “そう” forms serve completely different functions in the same conversation.
Cultural Notes:
- Sentence-final “〜って” has a much wider range in everyday Japanese than simply “I heard.” “田中さんが行かないって言ってた” directly quotes what Tanaka said, while “田中さん、行かないって” omits the latter half. When you hear sentence-final “って” in Japanese dramas, it should not always be mechanically translated as “I heard”; you also need to check whether the speaker is repeating someone’s actual words.
- “〜とのことです” is also extremely common in formal workplace communication. “担当者によると、発送は明日になるとのことです” clearly preserves the sense of quoting what the responsible person said and is much more formal than the conversational “明日発送だって.”
- A hearsay ending by itself does not prove that information is reliable. “〜そうです,” “〜って,” and “〜ということです” only indicate how information is being relayed. Whether it is trustworthy still depends on the original source.
How Do Japanese “〜って,” “〜ということだ,” and “〜そうだ” Compare with Korean “-대요／-다고 하다”?
When Korean reports what someone else said, it frequently uses “-다고 하다” and its colloquial contracted forms. “-대요” has a particularly strong conversational hearsay feel, so it overlaps considerably with sentence-final Japanese “〜って.” The fuller “-다고 합니다” can be compared with more formal Japanese reporting forms such as “〜ということです” and “〜とのことです.”
Hearsay “〜そうです” has no single Korean form that matches it one-to-one. Depending on the tone of the sentence, it may be translated with “-대요,” “-다고 해요,” or “-다고 합니다.” The key is not to memorize fixed pairings, but to ask whether the Japanese sentence is casually quoting, formally reporting, or neutrally marking information as externally sourced.
◆ Similar Expression ①: Korean “-대요”
“-대요” is one of the common colloquial contractions used for indirect quotation in Korean. When passing along something just heard in everyday conversation, it feels quite similar to sentence-final Japanese “〜って.” The actual form changes depending on the word class and tense before it, as in “쉰대요,” “결혼한대요,” and “없대요”; “-대요” cannot simply be attached unchanged to every dictionary form.
- Example: 내일 회사가 쉰대요.
Romanization: nae-il hoe-sa-ga swin-dae-yo.
Translation: I heard the company is closed tomorrow.
Newly obtained company information is passed along directly in conversation. - Example: 민수 씨가 다음 달에 결혼한대요.
Romanization: min-su ssi-ga da-eum dal-e gyeol-hon-han-dae-yo.
Translation: I heard Minsu is getting married next month.
Personal news just heard from someone else is commonly relayed with “-대요,” which sounds more conversational than the full “-다고 합니다.” - Example: 오늘 오후에는 회의가 없대요.
Romanization: o-neul o-hu-e-neun hoe-ui-ga eop-dae-yo.
Translation: I heard there is no meeting this afternoon.
“없대요” is the colloquial contraction of “없다고 해요” and is appropriate for quickly relaying a newly confirmed schedule between coworkers.
◆ Similar Expression ②: Korean “-다고 합니다”
“-다고 합니다” preserves a fuller indirect quotation structure and is more formal than “-대요.” It frequently appears in news reports, announcements, reports, and relatively formal relaying of information. The exact connection changes by word class: verbs use “-ㄴ/는다고 합니다,” adjectives use “-다고 합니다,” and nouns commonly use “-(이)라고 합니다.” Depending on context, it can correspond to Japanese “〜ということです,” “〜とのことです,” or hearsay “〜そうです.”
- Example: 담당자에 따르면 신청 마감은 금요일까지라고 합니다.
Romanization: dam-dang-ja-e tta-reu-myeon sin-cheong ma-gam-eun geum-yo-il-kka-ji-ra-go ham-ni-da.
Translation: According to the person in charge, the application deadline is Friday.
“담당자에 따르면” first identifies the source, followed by a complete report of the application deadline. - Example: 기상청은 내일부터 비가 많이 온다고 합니다.
Romanization: gi-sang-cheong-eun nae-il-bu-teo bi-ga ma-ni on-da-go ham-ni-da.
Translation: The weather agency says there will be heavy rain starting tomorrow.
This reports information issued by the weather authority, and the full “-다고 합니다” gives it a more formal reporting tone than conversational “온대요.” - Example: 회사 측에서는 새로운 제도가 다음 달부터 시행된다고 합니다.
Romanization: hoe-sa cheuk-e-seo-neun sae-ro-un je-do-ga da-eum dal-bu-teo si-haeng-doen-da-go ham-ni-da.
Translation: The company says the new system will be implemented starting next month.
“-다고 합니다” fully reports the company’s announcement and is appropriate for notices, reports, or workplace communication, sounding considerably more formal than “다음 달부터 시행된대요.”
◆ Differences from the Three Japanese Hearsay Expressions:
Japanese switches among “〜って,” “〜ということだ,” “〜そうだ,” and “〜とのことだ” depending on the strength of quotation, how the information is organized, and the register. Korean, by contrast, relies heavily on indirect quotation structures and adjusts the degree of conversational or formal tone through forms such as “-대요,” “-다고 해요,” and “-다고 합니다.”
Among them, “-대요” is easiest to compare with sentence-final Japanese “〜って,” because both are very natural for bringing newly heard information directly into conversation. “-다고 합니다” preserves a fuller quotation structure and, in formal reporting, may correspond depending on context to “〜ということです,” “〜とのことです,” or hearsay “〜そうです.” The two languages do not map one-to-one, however, so it is still necessary to consider whether the sentence is quoting someone’s actual words, organizing information, or simply marking the information as externally sourced.
Japanese “〜って,” “〜ということだ,” and “〜そうだ” can all handle information obtained from elsewhere, but their roles differ once they are placed in real conversation. “〜って” stays closest to something that was actually said and appears most frequently in casual conversation. “〜ということだ” feels more like reorganizing and restating a piece of content. “〜そうだ” places the entire statement inside a hearsay frame without particularly emphasizing the original wording.
When comparing them, it is faster not to begin by asking which one is more formal, but to look at how the information is being transmitted. If you can reconstruct something someone actually said, think first of “〜って.” If you are organizing the contents of a notice or explanation, consider “〜ということだ.” If you simply want to say “this information came from somewhere else,” hearsay “〜そうだ” is usually the most direct choice. The inferential meaning of “〜ということだ” and the hearsay versus appearance uses of “〜そうだ,” however, need to be distinguished separately through context and connection patterns rather than through English translation alone.
FAQ
“〜って” is fundamentally a colloquial quotation form, while hearsay “〜そうだ” marks information as coming from an external source. “田中さんは来ないって” feels like directly bringing something someone said into the conversation, while “田中さんは来ないそうです” more neutrally states that the information received is that Mr. Tanaka will not come.
Not completely. “〜ということだ” is indeed more formal than sentence-final “〜って,” but it also has the functions of organizing preceding content as one complete item of information and expressing a conclusion meaning “that is to say.” “〜って” centers on colloquial quotation, so the two do not cover exactly the same range.
“雨が降るそうだ” is hearsay and means that you learned from a weather forecast or another source that it will rain. “雨が降りそうだ” is appearance／judgment and means that based on the current sky or other visible conditions, it looks like it is about to rain. The first uses plain-form “降る,” while the second uses “降り,” formed by removing “ます” from “降ります.”
First check whether an information source appears before it. When “〜ということだ” follows expressions such as “ニュースによると,” “担当者の話では,” or “会社からの連絡では,” it usually reports information. If the preceding context instead provides facts and the following statement summarizes the conclusion, it is more likely to mean “that means…”.
Both are possible, but “〜とのことです” more directly preserves the sense that “this is what the other party said” and is very common in workplace emails and formal communication. “〜ということです” can organize the information into a complete piece of content and is also useful in spoken explanations. If you are simply making a neutral report, “〜そうです” can also be appropriate.