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ところで

B1 Expression Neutral

ところで

tokorode

By the way

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Use 'ところで' to gracefully pivot a conversation to a completely new topic without sounding abrupt.

Means: 'By the way' or 'Incidentally' used as a transition.
Used in: Casual chats, business meetings, and emails to change subjects.
Don't confuse: Never use it to start a brand-new conversation from zero.

Current Topic 🗣️ + {ところ|点} (Point) + {で|で} (At) = New Topic 💡

Explanation at your level:

In A1, you learn that 'Tokoro de' means 'By the way.' Use it when you want to talk about something new. For example, if you talk about school, then you want to ask about a movie, say 'Tokoro de.' It is very easy and useful for simple chats with friends.

At the A2 level, you use 'Tokoro de' to bridge two different ideas. It helps your Japanese sound more natural because you aren't just jumping between sentences. You can use it in emails or when talking to teachers. Remember to put it at the start of your new sentence.

For B1 learners, 'Tokoro de' is a key discourse marker. It signals a shift in the conversational track. You should distinguish it from 'Chinami ni' (which adds related info) and 'Sate' (which is more formal). It's essential for maintaining the 'Wa' (harmony) in intermediate-level social interactions and business small talk.

At B2, you should master the nuance of 'Tokoro de' as a tool for managing speaker-listener dynamics. It functions as a 'discontinuity marker.' You must also be careful not to confuse it with the concessive grammar pattern 'V-ta tokoro de' (even if...), which is common in B2 literature. Mastery involves using it to steer conversations subtly.

C1 mastery involves understanding the pragmatic functions of 'Tokoro de' in complex discourse. It acts as a boundary marker between different speech acts. In professional settings, it can be used to redirect a group's attention. You should also recognize its role in 'face-saving' maneuvers where a speaker uses a topic shift to avoid social friction or awkward silences.

At the C2 level, one analyzes 'Tokoro de' through the lens of cognitive linguistics and grammaticalization. It represents the transformation of a spatial-temporal noun into a meta-discursive operator. Mastery implies the ability to use it with perfect prosody to signal varying degrees of topical relevance, and understanding its historical divergence from other 'tokoro' based constructions in classical Japanese.

Significado

Used to change the topic of conversation smoothly.

🌍

Contexto cultural

In business, 'Tokoro de' is used to transition from 'Eisatsu' (greetings/small talk) to the 'Hondai' (main business). It signals that the social phase is over. Using 'Tokoro de' is a way to respect the other person's time. It signals a change so they aren't caught off guard by a sudden question. While 'Tokoro de' is gender-neutral, men might sometimes use 'それはそうと' for a more rugged shift, while women might use 'あ、そういえば' for a softer one. In Kyoto, a sudden 'Tokoro de' might be used to politely steer a conversation away from a topic the speaker finds too direct or intrusive.

💡

The Comma is Key

Always pause slightly after saying 'Tokoro de' to give your listener time to switch gears.

⚠️

Don't Start with It

Never use it as the first word of a conversation. It needs a 'hook' from a previous topic.

Significado

Used to change the topic of conversation smoothly.

💡

The Comma is Key

Always pause slightly after saying 'Tokoro de' to give your listener time to switch gears.

⚠️

Don't Start with It

Never use it as the first word of a conversation. It needs a 'hook' from a previous topic.

🎯

The 'Escape' Move

If a conversation gets awkward, use 'Tokoro de' to pivot to a safe topic like the weather or food.

💬

Softening the Blow

In formal writing, use '話は変わりますが' (hanashi wa kawarimasu ga) instead for a more professional feel.

Ponte a prueba

Choose the most natural word to fill the blank.

A: 今日はいい天気ですね。 B: そうですね。____、お名前は何ですか？

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: ところで

The speaker is changing the topic from the weather to the person's name, so 'Tokoro de' is the best fit.

Complete the dialogue using 'ところで'.

田中：昨日のサッカー、見た？佐藤：見たよ！すごかったね。田中：(Change topic to lunch): ________________

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: ところで、お昼ごはんは何食べる？

The speaker wants to pivot from soccer to lunch.

Match the transition word to the situation.

You want to add a small, related detail to what you just said.

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: ちなみに

'Chinami ni' is used for related incidental info, while 'Tokoro de' is for unrelated shifts.

Fill in the blank with the correct form.

会議はこれで終わります。____、次の日程を確認しましょう。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: ところで、

In writing, 'Tokoro de' is almost always followed by a comma.

🎉 Puntuación: /4

Ayudas visuales

Preguntas frecuentes

10 preguntas

Yes, it's very common in business emails to transition between different points. However, 'さて' is also a good alternative for formal structure.

Yes, it's very rude. Wait for a pause or for the other person to finish their thought before pivoting.

'Sou ieba' means 'Now that you mention it' (the topics are linked). 'Tokoro de' is for when the topics are NOT linked.

Yes, it is neutral and polite enough for a boss, provided you don't interrupt them.

Yes, {所で|ところで}, but it is almost always written in hiragana in modern Japanese.

Constantly! Characters use it to suddenly bring up a plot point or ask a serious question after a comedic scene.

Yes, adding 'sa' makes it more casual and friendly, like 'By the way, you know...'

In very casual speech, people just say 'で、' (De...) to mean 'So anyway...' or 'By the way...'

Try to limit it to 1-2 times. Using it too much makes you seem like you can't focus on one topic.

Rarely. News anchors prefer 'さて' (Sate) or '次です' (Tsugi desu) to move between news stories.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

さて

similar

Now then / Well

🔗

ちなみに

similar

By the way / Incidentally

🔄

それはそうと

synonym

That aside

🔗

話は変わりますが

specialized form

Changing the subject...

🔗

そういえば

similar

Speaking of which / Now that you mention it

Dónde usarla

☕

Coffee Shop Catch-up

Friend A: このケーキ、すごくおいしいね！

Friend B: 本当だね。ところで、{来週|らいしゅう}のテストの{勉強|べんきょう}、もうやった？

informal

💼

Business Meeting Transition

Manager: 予算の件はこれで決まりですね。

Staff: はい。ところで、次の会議の日程はどうしましょうか？

formal

📱

Texting/LINE

User 1: 了解！じゃあ、また明日。

User 2: あ、ところで！宿題の範囲、どこだっけ？

informal

🍷

First Date

Person A: 仕事はエンジニアをしています。

Person B: そうなんですね。ところで、休日は何をされているんですか？

neutral

👔

Job Interview

Interviewer: あなたの強みはよくわかりました。

Candidate: ありがとうございます。ところで、御社の研修制度について伺ってもよろしいでしょうか？

formal

🍱

Dinner with In-laws

Mother-in-law: 最近、お仕事はどうですか？

Son-in-law: おかげさまで順調です。ところで、お父様のご趣味の盆栽はどうですか？

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Tokoro' as a 'Place' and 'De' as 'At'. You are standing 'At a Place' in the conversation where you decide to turn a corner.

Visual Association

Imagine a train track with a switching lever. 'Tokoro de' is the lever that moves the train from the 'Current Topic' track to the 'New Topic' track.

Rhyme

When the topic is slow and you've got to go, say 'Tokoro de' and start the show!

Story

You are at a boring party talking about the price of rice. You want to talk about the cute cat you saw. You pause, say 'Tokoro de,' and suddenly the 'rice place' is gone, and you are in the 'cat place.'

Word Web

さてちなみにそれはそうとときに話は変わりますがついでに

Desafío

Try to use 'ところで' three times today: once in a text message, once in a self-study sentence, and once in a real or imaginary conversation to change the subject from 'weather' to 'hobbies.'

In Other Languages

English high

By the way / Incidentally

English can use it more freely at the start of an interaction.

Spanish high

Por cierto / A propósito

Spanish equivalents are often placed at the end of a sentence, while 'Tokoro de' is almost always at the start.

French moderate

À propos / D'ailleurs

French has more specific words for 'adding info' vs 'changing topic'.

German high

Übrigens / Apropos

German 'Übrigens' can be tucked into the middle of a sentence.

Arabic high

على فكرة (ala fikra)

Arabic uses it very frequently in casual speech, even more than Japanese.

Chinese moderate

对了 (duìle) / 顺便提一下 (shùnbiàn tí yīxià)

Chinese 'Duìle' implies a sudden realization, while 'Tokoro de' is a smoother transition.

Korean high

그런데 (geureonde) / 그건 그렇고 (geugeon geureohgo)

Korean has a specific 'That aside' phrase that matches the 'Tokoro de' nuance perfectly.

Portuguese moderate

Por falar nisso / A propósito

Portuguese often requires a link to the previous topic.

Easily Confused

ところで vs ところが

They look almost identical (de vs ga).

Tokoro GA means 'However' (contrast). Tokoro DE means 'By the way' (topic shift).

ところで vs 〜たところで

The exact same sounds, but used as a verb suffix.

If it's after a verb, it means 'Even if.' If it's at the start of a sentence, it means 'By the way.'

Preguntas frecuentes (10)