hear firsthand from

USAGE SUMMARY

"hear firsthand from" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to emphasize that the person is getting information directly from the source. For example: I was excited to hear firsthand from the CEO of the company about their plans for the future.

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

But I hear firsthand from people who aren't particularly informed and still tell me that they are avoiding thinking about climate because it's too late.

The Guardian - Opinion

In Professor Ravi Dhar's course Strategic Marketing Leadership: The Role of a Chief Marketing Officer, students hear firsthand from the executives leading marketing efforts at global companies including Starbucks, IBM, and Kimberly-Clark.

Yale University

"When students hear firsthand from students that Harvard is financially possible for those from modest income backgrounds, the message of access is personalized and the dream of attending Harvard becomes real," said Mike Esposito, assistant director.

Harvard University

The support will allow the U.S. programs, as well as the three European programs added in 2008, to continue to host summer symposiums that allow students to share their summer research projects, learn about biotechnology, and hear firsthand from leading industry and academic scientists.

University of California, Berkeley

As part of the Ash Center's spring semester 2019 study group on democracy reform, led by Senior Practice Fellow in American Democracy Miles Rapoport, HKS students had the opportunity to hear firsthand from reformers who helped make ranked choice voting a reality in Maine, as well as from those working to build support for similar voting reforms in Massachusetts.

Harvard University

The talks were the first chance for Presidents Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Bashar Assad of Syria to hear firsthand from Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, about the discussions that he held with President Bush in Texas late last month.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

This was largely because the Americans heard firsthand from Mr. Kim, the only decision maker who counts in this country, "what he was prepared to do".

The New York Times

Jurors on Wednesday heard firsthand from a survivor of the attack: Jennifer Pinckney, who listened from another room in the church as Roof gunned down her husband, the Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney, who also was a state senator, and the others.

The Washington Post

"While I know there have been critics, I felt that, more often than not, this film touches on many of the emotions and experiences that I've heard firsthand from military families over these past few years," she said on Friday.

The Guardian - Film

We also heard firsthand from migrants about the perils of the journey through the desert, and the stark economic realities that pressure people to head to the U.S.

HuffPost

Billy heard firsthand from this Marine how his dad had protected him by maneuvering his own helicopter into the path of the enemy fire and talked him through a dangerous situation.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hear firsthand from" when you want to emphasize the directness and authenticity of the information source. For example, "I wanted to hear firsthand from the residents affected by the policy change."

Common error

Avoid using "hear firsthand from" when the information is not directly received. For example, it's incorrect to say "I heard firsthand from a report" because a report is not a person you can directly hear from.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hear firsthand from" functions as a verb phrase indicating the act of receiving information directly from a source. As Ludwig AI points out, the phrase emphasizes the directness and authenticity of the information received, which aligns with the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

40%

Science

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hear firsthand from" is a grammatically sound and widely accepted way to express receiving information directly from a source. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, highlighting its effectiveness in emphasizing authenticity. While relatively uncommon in overall frequency, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples, the phrase is prevalent in News & Media and Academia, indicating its balanced tone. To avoid misuse, ensure the context involves a direct auditory interaction with the source. Alternatives such as ""learn directly from"" or ""gain firsthand knowledge from"" can be used to convey similar meanings with slightly different nuances.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

learn directly from

Uses "learn" instead of "hear", simplifying the phrase.

receive direct accounts from

Emphasizes the reception of accounts, changing the verb and adding 'direct'.

gather firsthand reports from

Focuses on gathering reports, altering the verb and noun.

gain firsthand knowledge from

Focuses on gaining knowledge, substituting "hear" with "gain knowledge".

obtain personal insights from

Highlights obtaining personal insights, making the phrase more specific.

get information straight from the horse's mouth

Replaces the entire phrase with an idiom conveying the same meaning.

be informed personally by

Changes the structure to passive voice and uses "informed".

acquire firsthand intelligence from

Emphasizes the acquisition of intelligence, changing the verb and noun.

experience direct communication with

Highlights the experience of direct communication, changing the structure significantly.

ascertain facts directly from

Replaces "hear" with "ascertain facts", making the phrase more formal.

FAQs

How can I use "hear firsthand from" in a sentence?

Use "hear firsthand from" to indicate receiving direct information from someone. For example, "I wanted to "hear firsthand from" the employees about their experiences."

What are some alternatives to "hear firsthand from"?

Alternatives include "learn directly from", "receive direct accounts from", or "gain firsthand knowledge from" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it redundant to say "hear firsthand from"?

While "firsthand" implies direct experience, using "hear firsthand from" emphasizes that the information was received aurally and directly from the source.

What's the difference between "hear firsthand from" and "read firsthand accounts"?

"Hear firsthand from" implies an auditory experience, while "read firsthand accounts" indicates receiving information through written material. The former suggests a conversation or direct oral communication, the latter suggests written documentation of experiences.