JLPT N4EverydayConversational

それでso; and then?

それで starts a new sentence with "so": what was just said is why this happened. In conversation それで？ also asks the other person to go on: "and then?"

what happened

電でん車しゃが遅おくれていました。それで、会かい議ぎに間まに合あいませんでした。

The train was running late, so I didn't make it to the meeting in time.

go on

それで、どうなりましたか。

And then what happened?

How to form it

Sentence。それで、+ what happened

It comes first in the new sentence, usually with a comma after it. In casual talk it is often just で.

Before it: What happened, or how things were.
After it: What came of it. Not "let's" or "please".
Where you'll meet it: Conversation, polite or casual. It is how people explain themselves.

In use

A

昨日きのうはどうして来こなかったんですか。

Why didn't you come yesterday?

B

朝あさから熱ねつがあったんです。それで、一いち日にち寝ねていました。

I had a fever from the morning. So I was in bed all day.

店みせはもう閉しまっていました。それで、何なにも買かえませんでした。

The store was already closed, so I couldn't buy anything.

予よ約やくがいっぱいでした。それで、来らい週しゅうに変へん更こうしました。

They were fully booked, so I changed it to next week.

それで？

Someone is telling you something and stops. それで？ asks for the rest. Said with interest it is "and then?". In a flat voice it can come out as "so?".

A

昨日きのう、帰かえり道みちで財さい布ふを拾ひろったんだ。

I found a wallet on my way home yesterday.

B

それで、どうしたの？

So what did you do?

A

交こう番ばんに届とどけたよ。

I took it to the police box.

へえ。それで？

Really? And then?

Alone, it does the same job.

with friends

テスト、今日きょうだったよね。で、どうだった？

Your test was today, right? So, how did it go?

"So let's" and "so please" take だから

English "so" also turns a reason into "so let's…" or "so please…". それで doesn't: ましょう, よう and てください don't follow it. It tells what happened.

雨あめが強つよくなりました。それで、試し合あいは中ちゅう止しになりました。

The rain got heavier, so the match was called off.

What happened.

雨あめが強つよい。だから、今日きょうは家いえにいよう。

It's raining hard, so let's stay home today.

What you suggest. それで can't go here.

Where both fit, だから argues, "and that's why", and それで only tells the story.

来らい週しゅう、引ひっ越こすんです。それで、金きん曜よう日びに休やすみをいただきたいんですが。

I'm moving next week. So I'd like to take Friday off, if I may.

What you came to ask is different: you explain, and それで brings you to it.

Close neighbours

だからN5

The "so" before "let's" or "please". ですから is its polite form.

この道みちは工こう事じ中ちゅうです。ですから、駅えきへは別べつの道みちをお使つかいください。

This road is under construction, so please take another route to the station.

それからN5

"After that": the next thing in time, whether or not the first one caused it. それから？ also asks someone to go on.

受うけ付つけで鍵かぎを受うけ取とった。それから、部屋へやへ向むかった。

I picked up the key at reception. After that, I headed to the room.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

もう遅おそい。（　　）、タクシーで帰かえろう。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What is B doing?

A「昨日きのう、彼かの女じょにプレゼントをあげたんだ。」　B「それで？」

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

ああ、それで

When you learn the reason for something you had noticed, それで with んですね at the end is "so that's why", just as だから is.

A

田た中なかさん、今日きょうが誕たん生じょう日びなんですよ。

It's Tanaka's birthday today, you know.

B

ああ、それでうれしそうなんですね。

Oh, so that's why he looks so happy.

それでいいです

In それでいいです, "that's fine", it is just それ and the particle で.

More sentences

急きゅうに熱ねつが出でた。それで、午ご後ごの授じゅ業ぎょうを休やすんだ。

I suddenly came down with a fever, so I missed my afternoon classes.

朝あさから雪ゆきが降ふっていました。それで、道どう路ろが混こんでいました。

It had been snowing since the morning, so the roads were busy.

体たい調ちょうがよくありませんでした。それで、昨日きのうは早はやく寝ねました。

I wasn't feeling well, so I went to bed early yesterday.

停てい電でんになりました。それで、部屋へやが真まっ暗くらになりました。

The power went out, so the room went completely dark.

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "so" and "therefore"