JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N3 grammar · Chapter 18

ところで

Change the subject with “by the way”

You’ll be able to move naturally to a different topic after finishing or interrupting the current one.

Illustration of the scene described by It will be sunny tomorrow. By the way, where are we going?
Read it first

明日あしたは晴はれますね。ところで、どこへ行いきますか。

ashita wa haremasu ne. tokorode, doko e ikimasu ka.

What do you think this sentence means?

It will be sunny tomorrow. By the way, where are we going?

Why it means that

Change the conversation topic

ところで is a discourse connector meaning "by the way" or "incidentally". It smoothly transitions the conversation to a fresh, unrelated topic or question.

Examples

久ひさしぶりですね。ところで、今いまどこに住すんでいますか。

hisashiburi desu ne. tokorode, ima doko ni sunde imasu ka.

It’s been a long time. By the way, where are you living now?

今日きょうは暑あついね。ところで、宿題しゅくだいは終おわった？

kyou wa atsui ne. tokorode, shukudai wa owatta?

It’s hot today. By the way, did you finish your homework?

How it is built

Place ところで at the start of the new topic

Start a new sentence with ところで, followed by a comma, to pivot smoothly to a new question or subject.

sentence A。ところで、sentence B (new topic / question)。
Example

旅行りょこうの話はなしはまた今度こんど聞きかせてね。ところで、お昼ひるご飯はんはもう食たべた？

ryokou no hanashi wa mata kondo kikasete ne. tokorode, ohirugohan wa mou tabeta?

Tell me more about your trip next time. By the way, have you already eaten lunch?

Compare

ところが vs ところで

They differ by one kana. ところが continues the same story with a result nobody expected. ところで drops the story and starts a new topic.

  • ところが, however (surprise)

    駅えきまで走はしった。ところが、電車でんしゃはもう出でていた。

    eki made hashitta. tokoroga, densha wa mou dete ita.

    I ran to the station. However, the train had already left.

    Same story, unexpected result.

  • ところで, by the way

    駅えきまで走はしった。ところで、昼ひるご飯はんは食たべた？

    eki made hashitta. tokorode, hirugohan wa tabeta?

    I ran to the station. By the way, have you eaten lunch?

    Starts a new topic.

Examples

「会議かいぎの資料しりょう、ありがとうございました。ところで、先週せんしゅうの出張しゅっちょうはいかがでしたか。」

“kaigi no shiryou, arigatou gozaimashita. tokoro de, senshuu no shucchou wa ikaga deshita ka.”

“Thank you for the meeting documents. By the way, how was your business trip last week?”

「この写真しゃしん、よく撮とれてるね。ところで、来月らいげつの同窓会どうそうかいには行いく？」

“kono shashin, yoku toreteru ne. tokoro de, raigetsu no dousoukai ni wa iku?”

“This photo came out really well. By the way, are you going to the class reunion next month?”

「風邪かぜはもう治なおった？そう、よかった。ところで、借かりていたDVD、いつ返かえしたらいい？」

“kaze wa mou naotta? sou, yokatta. tokoro de, karite ita dii-bui-dii, itsu kaeshitara ii?”

“Is your cold better? Oh, good. By the way, when should I return the DVD I borrowed?”

7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.