How do you say “Hear something through the grapevine” in German?
The closest natural German equivalent is etwas über den Flurfunk erfahren, which literally means “to learn something through corridor radio”. English speakers use hear something through the grapevine to mean to learn news through informal conversations rather than from an official or direct source. Best for news at work. For friends and acquaintances, use “über Bekannte erfahren.” Register: informal. Usage frequency: common.
Closest natural German
etwas über den Flurfunk erfahren
/ˈɛtvas ˈyːbɐ deːn ˈfluːɐ̯fʊŋk ɛɐ̯ˈfaːʁən/
- Literal meaning
- “to learn something through corridor radio”
- Register
- informal
- How often it's used
- common
- Equivalence
Close equivalent
88 out of 100
What a native German speaker would actually say
“Flurfunk” imagines an unofficial radio service in the corridors at work. It suits news passed between colleagues before a formal announcement.
For news from friends, “über Bekannte erfahren” is more natural. “Vom Hörensagen” stresses that you haven't seen or checked something yourself; it doesn't prove the information is false.
How close is the meaning?
- Meaning5 out of 5
- Tone5 out of 5
- Context4 out of 5
- Literal similarity1 out of 5
These ratings are editorial approximations, not measurements.
What are other ways to say it in German?
etwas über Bekannte erfahren
Literally: “to learn something through acquaintances”
Useful for news circulating among friends or local contacts.
etwas vom Hörensagen wissen
Literally: “to know something from hearsay”
Emphasises indirect knowledge and possible uncertainty.
In context
English
I heard through the grapevine that our department is moving.
German
Ich habe über den Flurfunk erfahren, dass unsere Abteilung umzieht.
English
We heard through the grapevine that they were getting married.
German
Wir haben über Bekannte erfahren, dass die beiden heiraten.
Related expressions
- What “Hear something through the grapevine” means in English
- Spill the beans, To give away a secret.
- Read between the lines, Find hidden meaning in what is said
Last updated 2026-09-16