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Hörensagen. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
Hörensagen, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
Hörensagen in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
Hörensagen you have here. The definition of the word
Hörensagen will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
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German
Etymology
From Middle High German hœrsagen (14th c.). Equivalent to hören (“to hear”) + sagen (“to say”). Compare English hearsay, which is of similar age.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈhøːrənˌzaːɡən/, , , , ,
Noun
Hörensagen n (strong, genitive Hörensagens, no plural)
- hearsay; report; that which one has heard from others
Ich kenne den Film vom Hörensagen.- I know the film by hearsay.
Das ist doch reines Hörensagen!- That is nothing but hearsay!
Ich kann mich in dieser Sache nicht aufs Hörensagen verlassen.- I can't rely on hearsay in this matter.
2000, “Da Draussen”, in Fettes Brot für die Welt, performed by Fettes Brot:
Usage notes
- The noun is used chiefly in the prepositional phrase vom Hörensagen (“by hearsay”), less commonly also durchs Hörensagen. Freer use is not impossible, as shown above; however, in many contexts where English hearsay is used, the German word would not be idiomatic. For example, Don't believe hearsay! should rather be rendered as Glaub doch keine Gerüchte!, or kein Gerede!, or the like.
Declension
Further reading