Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 7: 16/21

そういえばSpeaking of which, By the way, Come to think of it

Structure

そういえば + Phrase

Details

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About そういえば

そういえば is a hypothetical structure in Japanese consisting of the adverb そう 'like that', and the ば conjunctive form of the う-Verb 言(い)う 'to say'. Common translations include 'speaking of which', 'by the way', and 'come to think of it'. These translations are actually very close to the literal translation of 'if saying that' in that they all refer back to the previous statement as being a trigger for bringing up a topic that the speaker wants to discuss.

そういえば will primarily appear at the beginning of sentences, before the speaker will then bring up the topic that they were reminded of.

Caution

Due to そういえば refering to something that has already been brought up over the course of a conversation, it will not be used to move on to completely unrelated topics in the same way that phrases like 'by the way' are used in English.

  • 中田(なかた)さん： 今度(こんど)バッティングセンターに行(い)こ！
    高橋(たかはし)さん：そういえば、藤田(ふじた)さんと伊藤(いとう)くんが付(つ)き合(あ)い始(はじ)めたって聞(き)いた？

    Nakata-san: Let's go to the batting cage next time!
    Takahashi-san: Speaking of which, did you hear that Fujita-san and Ito-kun has started dating? (Unnatural Japanese)

Fun-fact

そういえば is very similar in the way it is used to といえば, with そう simply replacing the direct quotation of と. Many textbooks will list both as a single grammar point, despite そういえば itself basically being a set phrase.

Examples

--:--

    そういえば、今日(きょう)は母(はは)の日(ひ)だ。

    Come to think of it, it is Mother's Day today.

    そういえば、昨夜(さくや)は何時(なんじ)に家(いえ)に帰(かえ)ったの？

    Speaking of which, what time did you get home last night?

    そういえば、着替(きが)え持(も)ってきてくれた？

    Speaking of which, did you bring the change of clothes for me?

    そういえば、昨日(きのう)の卒業式(そつぎょうしき)はどうだった？

    Speaking of which, how was the graduation ceremony yesterday?

    そういえば、客席(きゃくせき)に君(きみ)のお父(とう)さんとお母(かあ)さんがいたよ。

    Speaking of which, your father and mother were in the guest seating!

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そういえば – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (1 in total)

  • casual

    casual

    そういえば gets a “Hypothetical” hint during reviews, and in the article it is described as “a hypothetical structure”, but is it really hypothetical?

    Now, I understand that it literally contains a ば in it. But none of the example sentences are what we would call hypothetical in English. As in they don’t describe situations that might or might not happen or have happened. This would probably be called an introductory word?

    So I guess my questions are: do Japanese think of そういえば as a hypothetical construction or something else, and is it useful to hint “hypothetical” for these sentences.

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