あのお婆ばあさんは引退いんたいした伝説でんせつの暗殺あんさつ者しゃだといわれている。
It’s said that old lady is a retired legendary assassin.

Today, we’re choppin’ it up about 「～といわれている」 (to iwareteiru). This is how you talk about what the streets are sayin’. It’s for when you’re droppin’ info that ain’t your own—it’s hearsay, a rumor, or just common knowledge. You ain’t sayin’ it’s 100% facts, you’re just sayin’, “Yo, this is what they say.” It’s like when you hear whispers about some big shot on the block; you didn’t see it yourself, but it’s the word on the wire.

This grammar is basically the passive form of 言う (iu – to say), so it literally means “it is being said that…“. It gives you that cool, detached vibe, like you’re just reporting the intel, not making it up.

Think of 「といわれている」 as the street grapevine. You’re not the source of the info. You’re just passing along what you heard through the wire. The info could be true, could be a rumor, but it’s what everyone on the block is whispering about. You ain’t vouching for it, you’re just saying, “Yo, this is the intel I picked up.” It keeps you safe, ’cause you ain’t the one who said it first. Don’t shoot the messenger, G.

---

Check it, this is how you hook this grammar up with your words.

Form Type	Connection Guide	Example	Translation
Plain Verb	Verb (dictionary form) + といわれている	あのボスは人ひとを殺ころしたといわれている。	It is said that boss killed a man.
Noun	Noun + だ + といわれている	彼かれは伝説でんせつのスパイだといわれている	It is said that he is a legendary spy.
い-Adjective	い-Adjective + といわれている	この辺あたりは危あぶないといわれている。	It is said that this area is dangerous.
な-Adjective	な-Adjective + だ + といわれている	彼かれの計画けいかくは完璧かんぺきだといわれている。	It is said that his plan is perfect.

Alright, break it down. For your verbs and い-adjectives, you just slap 「といわれている」 right on the end of the plain form. Easy money. But for your nouns and な-adjectives, you gotta slide that 「だ」 in there before you drop 「といわれている」. It’s like the secret handshake, you feel me? Without that 「だ」, you ain’t in the club. It connects the pieces right so your sentence flows smooth, like a Cadillac on a Sunday. Don’t forget it, or you’ll sound like a mark.

---

Peep these lines to see how the real Gs talk.

あのボスは不死身ふじみだといわれている。
It is said that boss is invincible.

あの男おとこは仲間なかまを売うったといわれている。
It is said that man ratted out his crew.

新あたらしいメンバーは元もと警察官けいさつかんだといわれている。
It’s said the new member is a former police officer.

この刑務所けいむしょからは脱出だっしゅつできないといわれている。
It is said that you cannot escape from this prison.

ライバルの組長くみちょうは幽霊ゆうれいが怖こわいといわれている。
It is said the rival gang’s leader is scared of ghosts.

秘密ひみつのアジトはラーメン屋やの下したにあるといわれている。
The secret hideout is said to be under a ramen shop.

この毒どくは無味むみ無臭むしゅうだといわれている。
This poison is said to be tasteless and odorless.

一番いちばん危あぶないメンバーは物静ものしずかな会計士かいけいしだといわれている。
The most dangerous member is said to be the quiet accountant.

ボスの趣味しゅみは編あみ物ものだといわれている。
They say the boss’s hobby is knitting.

密輸みつゆ品ひんは珍めずらしいポケモンのカードだったといわれている。
It is said the smuggled goods were just rare Pokémon cards.

---

Here’s some new heat for your vocabulary stash.

---

不死身

[ふじみ]

Some say the greatest to ever do it can’t be touched, like they can walk through fire and not get burned.

---

仲間

[なかま]

This is your ride-or-die crew, the ones who got your back when things get heavy on the block.

---

元警察官

[もとけいさつかん]

He used to be on the other side of the law, but now he’s rollin’ with a different kinda crew.

---

脱出

[だっしゅつ]

When the spot gets hot and the sirens start wailin’, you gotta know how to make a quick move.

---

幽霊

[ゆうれい]

He’s the cat who moves in the shadows, the one they thought was gone but still pulls the strings from the darkness.

---

組長

[くみちょう]

This is the top dog, the one who runs the whole operation and gives the orders that no one dares to question.

---

秘密

[ひみつ]

This is that info you keep locked down tight, ’cause if it gets out, everything could come crashin’ down.

---

毒

[どく]

It’s that silent killer, the stuff that gets you from the inside without ever makin’ a sound.

---

無味無臭

[むみむしゅう]

When you’re makin’ a move, you gotta be like this so the ops can’t even smell you comin’.

---

物静かな

[ものしずかな]

He’s the dude in the corner who don’t say much, but you know he’s watchin’ and takin’ everything in.

---

会計士

[かいけいし]

Every big operation needs that one homie who knows how to make the dirty money look clean.

---

密輸品

[みつゆひん]

This is the product you gotta move on the low, the stuff that ain’t supposed to cross the line but pays big.

---

Here’s the straight-up translation for y’all.

• 弱点 (jakuten) – weak point; weakness
• 不死身 (fujimi) – invulnerable; immortal
• 仲間 (nakama) – comrade; crew; partner
• 元警察官 (moto keisatsukan) – former police officer
• 脱出 (dasshutsu) – escape
• 幽霊 (yūrei) – ghost; phantom
• 組長 (kumichō) – gang leader; boss (of a yakuza family)
• 秘密 (himitsu) – secret
• 毒 (doku) – poison
• 無味無臭 (mumi mushū) – tasteless and odorless
• 物静かな (monoshizukana) – quiet; still
• 会計士 (kaikeishi) – accountant
• 密輸品 (mitsuyuhin) – smuggled goods; contraband

---

Alright, that’s the lesson. Keep your ears to the street and practice this. Now go out there and be legendary.