ところで

と

こ

ろ

で

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

conjunction

by the way; incidentally

usually written using kana alone

Used to change the topic or introduce a new, often less important, subject in conversation.

ところで、明日あしたの会

かい

議ぎ

は

何なん

時じ

から

です

か

。

By the way, what time is tomorrow's meeting?

2

particle, conjunction

even if; no matter (what, where, how, etc.)

usually written using kana alone

Follows the plain past form of a verb to express that even if that action is taken, the result will be the same or it won't matter. Often used in patterns like たところで.

今いまさら謝あやまったところで、もう遅おそい。
Even if you apologize now, it's too late.
急いそいだところで、電でん車しゃには間まに合あわないだろう。
No matter how much you hurry, you probably won't catch the train.

Usage patterns

ところで、〈事こと〉by the way, ...
ところで、明日あしたの会かい議ぎは何なん時じからですか。
By the way, what time does tomorrow's meeting start?
〈動どう詞し〉たところでeven if one does ~ (it won't change the outcome)
今いまから勉べん強きょうしたところで、試し験けんには合ごう格かくできないだろう。
Even if I study now, I probably won't pass the exam.
いくら〈動どう詞し〉たところでno matter how much one does ~, it's futile
いくら謝あやまったところで、彼かの女じょは許ゆるしてくれないだろう。
No matter how much I apologize, she probably won't forgive me.

Expressions

ところではaccording to; from what one hears; so far as
すんでのところでalmost; nearly; barely; just in time

Grammar

ところでBy the wayN3

Kanji

所place, extent

Related words· 8

ちなみに sense 1
ちなみに adds related supplementary information while staying on topic, whereas ところで signals a full topic change to something unrelated.
たとえN2sense 2
たとえ is an adverb paired with ても/でも to stress a hypothetical, while ところで attaches directly to a verb's past form to mean the action would be futile.
さてN3sense 1
さて is often used to shift to the next stage of a narrative or task, while ところで more casually redirects a conversation to a new subject.
としても sense 2
としても expresses 'even if/even as' in a slightly more neutral, written register, while ところで carries a stronger nuance of futility about the outcome.

Show 4 more

そういえばN2
ところで changes the subject fairly abruptly and doesn't need to be triggered by something just said, whereas そう言えば specifically signals that the new topic was recalled because of the preceding remark.
時ときに
ところで is the more common everyday word for changing the topic, whereas 時に sounds a bit more literary or old-fashioned in this use.
で
ところで is the neutral or slightly formal way to change topics, while で is the casual shortening used in relaxed conversation.

Etymology

Derived from the noun 所 (ところ, 'place') and the particle で, originally meaning 'at the place where'. The conjunction sense developed from a topic-shifting function, while the particle sense retains a conditional nuance.

それより

ところで changes the subject to something largely unrelated, while それより moves to a point that is usually more important or urgent than what was just said.