Rumor has it

This pattern is used to report information that you've heard from someone else. It's equivalent to saying "I heard that...", "They say that...", or "Rumor has it..." in English.

Structure

The pattern is a combination of two grammatical forms:

-다고 하다: The standard indirect quotation form ("to say that...").

-더라: A sentence ending that expresses the speaker's recollection of a past observation or experience. In this case, you're recalling the act of hearing the information.

Formation

The conjugation depends on the type of word being quoted.

Nouns: Attach -(이)라고 하더라.

Vowel-ending noun: 의사 → 의사라고 하더라 (I heard he's a doctor.)

Consonant-ending noun: 맛집 → 맛집이라고 하더라 (I heard this is a great restaurant.)

Adjectives: Attach -다고 하더라 to the adjective stem.

어렵다 → 어렵다고 하더라 (I heard it's difficult.)

멀다 → 멀다고 하더라 (I heard it's far.)

Action Verbs: Attach -ㄴ/는다고 하더라 to the verb stem.

사귀다 → 사귄다고 하더라 (I heard they are dating.)

여기가 맛집이라고 하더라. / 이번 시험 어렵다고 하더라. / 둘이 사귄다고 하더라.

This pattern is similar to other forms used for reporting information, but with subtle differences in nuance.

vs. -다고 들었다

-다고 들었다 literally means "I heard that..." and focuses on the simple fact of having received the information. It's a neutral and direct way to state what you've heard.

-다고 하더라 has a more conversational and retrospective nuance. The -더라 ending implies you are recalling the memory of hearing the news. While often interchangeable, -다고 하더라 feels a bit more like sharing a piece of news or gossip you just remembered.

vs. -대/-래

-대/-래 is a very common colloquial contraction of -다고 해 / -(이)라고 해. It's a simple and quick way to report hearsay in casual conversation.

어렵다고 하더라 → 어렵대 (I hear it's difficult.)

맛집이라고 하더라 → 맛집이래 (I hear it's a great restaurant.)

The main difference is that -다고 하더라 specifically includes the speaker's personal recollection (-더라), while -대/-래 is a more general and neutral report of what "they say."

그 사람 천재라고 하더라. / 그 사람 천재라고 들었어요. / 그 사람 천재래.

You can easily adjust the politeness level of this pattern by adding or removing the polite marker -요.

Casual Form: -다고 하더라

This is the 반말 (casual) form. Use it when talking to close friends, family members, or people younger than you. It creates a relaxed and informal tone, perfect for sharing gossip or casual news.

Example: 걔 성격이 좀 그렇다고 하더라. (I heard his personality is a bit iffy.)

Polite Form: -다고 하더라고요

This is the 해요체 (standard polite) form. By simply adding -요 at the end, the sentence becomes respectful. Use this form with colleagues, acquaintances, elders, or anyone you would normally speak to politely.

Example: 그 남자 의사라고 하더라고요. (I heard that man is a doctor.)

품절이라고 하더라. / 품절이라고 하더라고요. / 그 가방 가짜라고 하더라. / 그 가방 가짜라고 하더라고요.