hearsay
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by hearsay
Refers to information that you do not have from your own experience or from a direct source, but have only heard from other people. Such information is often considered unconfirmed and potentially unreliable.
Ich kenne die Details nur vom Hörensagen, kann also nicht garantieren, dass alles stimmt.
I know the details only by hearsay, so I can't guarantee that everything is true.
The word is composed of the verbs 'hören' (to hear) and 'sagen' (to say). So it literally describes knowledge that you have only by hearing what other people say.
Seine Behauptung basiert nur auf Hörensagen.
His claim is based only on hearsay.
This word is used almost exclusively in the fixed expression 'vom Hörensagen' (by hearsay). It always appears with the preposition 'vom'.
Ich kenne ihn nur vom Hörensagen.
I know him only by hearsay.
The expression 'vom Hörensagen' (by hearsay) is very often combined with the verbs 'kennen' (to know/be familiar with) or 'wissen' (to know) to express that you do not have direct information.
Ich weiß nur vom Hörensagen, dass er umgezogen ist.
I know only by hearsay that he has moved.
experience
'die Erfahrung' and 'das Hörensagen' stand in clear contrast to each other. With 'Erfahrung', you have experienced something yourself, tried it out, or learned it through your own practice. With 'vom Hörensagen' (by hearsay), you know something only because others have told you about it. That is often less certain. Learners may confuse the words when speaking generally about knowledge. The source is important: if the knowledge comes from your own experience, it is 'Erfahrung'. If it comes only from other people's accounts, it is 'Hörensagen'.
Den neuen Arzt kenne ich nur vom Hörensagen.
I know the new doctor only by hearsay.
Aus eigener Erfahrung weiß ich, dass der Weg im Winter gefährlich sein kann.
From my own experience, I know that the route can be dangerous in winter.