Can ところで be used with statements as well?


Many Japanese-English dictionaries define "ところで" as something similar to "by
the way" or "incidentally", but is it also used with statement-type sentences
as well? If not, what would be the most appropriate phrase to use?

I am looking to say something along the lines of:

> By the way, I ran into Alan at Starbucks the other day.

Here are some of the examples I have seen listed, but I am having trouble
finding examples that are not questions.

  1. > ところで例の件はどうなりましたか。

  2. > ところで、今日はおひまですか

  3. > ところでよ、そのおめーのおとうさんはどこにいんのさ？




「ところで」 is used to make statements all the time. There is nothing strange or
unnatural about it.

To borrow your own example, you could easily say:

> 「ところで、この前{まえ}スターバックスでばったりアランに会{あ}ったよ。」

In more casual conversations, you might hear us use 「それはそうと」、「あっ、そうそう」, etc.
instead of 「ところで」, but that is **_not_** to say that 「ところで」 sounds very
formal.

ところで、なかなかいい質問{しつもん}をしますね。




「ところで」 is used to make statements all the time. There is nothing strange or
unnatural about it.

To borrow your own example, you could easily say:

> 「ところで、この前{まえ}スターバックスでばったりアランに会{あ}ったよ。」

In more casual conversations, you might hear us use 「それはそうと」、「あっ、そうそう」, etc.
instead of 「ところで」, but that is **_not_** to say that 「ところで」 sounds very
formal.

ところで、なかなかいい質問{しつもん}をしますね。

