Japanese from zero · N3 Lesson 33
Well then, by the way
ところで ・ ところが ・ さて ・ すなわち / 〜というのは
In this lesson, you will learn the words that steer a piece of writing or a conversation: ところで to change the subject, ところが to report what you didn't expect, さて to move on to the next part, and すなわち and 〜というのは to define a word for the reader. Matsumoto teaches Lisa to write the editorial for his last issue of the club paper.
By the end you will be able to say
さて、今回の 話題に 入りましょう。Well then, let's get into this time's topic.
ところで、面接の 結果は 来ましたか。By the way, did the interview results come?
すぐ 決まると 思った。ところが、まだ 決まらない。I thought it would be settled quickly. But it still isn't.
社説というのは、新聞の 意見を 書く 記事です。An editorial is an article that gives the paper's opinion.
最終号、すなわち 先輩の 最後の 号です。The final issue, that is, my senpai's last issue.
The grammar in this lesson
- ところで — by the way — ところで at the start of a sentence switches to a new topic.
- ところが — but in fact (not what you expected) — ところが starts a sentence that reports something you didn't expect after what came before.
- さて — well then; now — さて marks a move to the next planned thing: starting, or turning to the main topic.
- すなわち / 〜というのは — that is; X means — 〜というのは introduces a word in order to define it, and すなわち restates something in other words.