〜そうです (hearsay): I hear that…

The hearsay そうです attaches to the plain form and reports what you were told. It looks identical to the そう of appearance but attaches differently — that is how you tell them apart.

Also known assou desu hearsayそうですI heard that japanesedenbun

～そうです (hearsay)そうです — I hear that

Hearsay そうです

Report information from another source: plain form + そうです.

天気予報に　よると、あした　晴れるそうです。

てんきよほうに　よると、あした　はれるそうです。

According to the forecast, it will be sunny tomorrow.

Hearsay そうです attaches to the plain form (different from the appearance そう, which uses the stem). The source is often given with 〜によると (according to…).

In the textbooksMinna II, lesson 47