Japanese grammar
What does ところで mean? Japanese grammar N3
ところで means by the way; incidentally… (changing topic).
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N3 |
|---|---|
| Structure | ところで、+ new question/topic |
| Romaji | tokorode |
| Meaning | by the way; incidentally… (changing topic) |
Forming it
| Changing the topic | ～。ところで、田中さんはお元気ですか。 |
|---|
How to use it
Shifts to a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT topic. Often used when getting to the main point.
- 「ところで」 completely cuts off the previous flow: 「いい天気ですね。ところで、例の件はどうなりましたか」.
- The new topic is usually unrelated to the previous sentence — this is what distinguishes it from 「それで」 (continues the previous flow) and 「ちなみに」 (adds supplementary info on the SAME topic).
- There is also 「～たところで」 (N1, "even if you did it, it would be useless") — same word but completely different, distinguished by whether a verb precedes it.
Examples
いい天気ですね。ところで、例の件はどうなりましたか。
Nice weather. By the way, what happened with that matter?
報告は以上です。ところで、来月の予定はもう決まりましたか。
That concludes my report. By the way, has next month's schedule been decided?
Keep in mind
- Used at the start of a sentence, followed by 「、」.
- The new topic must be completely different — for a related topic, use 「ちなみに」.
Common mistakes
-
Wrong彼は医者です。ところで、奥さんも医者です。
He is a doctor. By the way, his wife is also a doctor.
Correct彼は医者です。ちなみに、奥さんも医者です。
For supplementary info on the same topic, use 「ちなみに」; 「ところで」 is for a complete topic change.
-
Wrong雨が降ったところで、宿題は終わりましたか。
It's raining, isn't it. By the way, have you finished your homework?
Correct雨が降っていますね。ところで、宿題は終わりましたか。
「ところで」 for changing topics must be at the start of a sentence; 「Vたところで」 is an N1 pattern with a completely different meaning.
Exam tips
- 「ところで」 = a complete topic change; for supplementary info on the same topic, use 「ちなみに」.