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Words and Their StoriesLearning Expressions with VOA
Processed with VS1Talk about learning news indirectly, keeping a surprise quiet, and checking information with a direct source.
VOA source audio
Source: VOA Learning English · Words and Their Stories
View original article & transcriptThe episode explores “get wind of something”: learn information indirectly, sometimes before it is meant to be public. It connects the phrase with hearing something secondhand or through the grapevine, and contrasts that with hearing it straight from the source. It also uses “nosy” for someone who asks too many personal questions.
Cultural note: “Get wind of” and “through the grapevine” can signal hearsay, not confirmation. They may sound playful when discussing a harmless surprise, but rumors about a person, job, or business can cause harm. If accuracy matters, check with someone who has direct knowledge instead of repeating an unverified story.
Keep exploringNews can reach us through a whisper, a friend, or an official source. How do you explain where you heard something—and how sure you are?
Phrase guide · 6 expressions
Original explanations and examples, created for learners. Save a card for later or hear the phrase spoken by your browser.
Explain that information reached you before an official announcement.
Meaning
Hear or learn about something, often through indirect or unofficial means.
Tone & use
Often used for news that is private, surprising, or not yet widely known; it does not tell you whether the news is true.
Example
“The staff got wind of the schedule change before the manager sent the official notice.”
Meaning
By informal, indirect communication, often when information passes among people.
Tone & use
Use it to identify an informal route for news, not as evidence that the news is confirmed.
Example
“I heard through the grapevine that the café may move, but I haven’t checked with the owner.”
Talk about information someone hopes to keep private.
Meaning
Keep information secret or private for a while.
Tone & use
Informal; often used for plans or a surprise that will be announced later.
Example
“We’re keeping the award announcement under wraps until Friday.”
Meaning
Too interested in other people’s private lives or business.
Tone & use
Informal and disapproving; it can sound rude if you describe someone this way to their face.
Example
“I’m not trying to be nosy, but do you want help with the move?”
Separate secondhand information from direct knowledge.
Meaning
Information learned from another person rather than directly from the original source.
Tone & use
Neutral; it is useful when explaining that you were not present or did not verify something yourself.
Example
“That is secondhand information, so I’ll wait for the organizer to confirm the time.”
Meaning
Directly from the person or place with first-hand knowledge.
Tone & use
Emphasizes direct access to information; it can be more reliable but still may require context.
Example
“I asked the clinic straight from the source instead of relying on a neighbor’s guess.”
Knowledge check
Choose the expression that best fits each situation.
Try it · Choose the best expression
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