by the way
What does "by the way" mean?
Used to introduce a new topic or extra information.
In simple terms: I want to add something.
When do you use "by the way"?
Signals a shift in conversation topic, often something the speaker just remembered.
How do you use "by the way" in a sentence?
By the way, did you hear about the new café downtown?
Similar expressions
incidentally · also · on another note
The best alternative depends on the sentence and what you want to add.
Hear it in context
During a world-capitals quiz, the speaker adds an aside about how they would pronounce the answer.
Ray Romano Shows Off His Uncanny Knowledge of World Capitals | The Rich Eisen Show
The Rich Eisen Show · 1:49
“By the way, by the way, if somebody asked me what the capital of Slovenia was, I'd have said it exactly that way.”
Source transcript excerpt. Captions can contain errors.
Watch on YouTube at 1:49 (opens in a new tab)Practice with this video and save useful words to review later. English captions may differ. Opens in a new tab.
Other ways to connect ideas
Compare these expressions when you want to emphasize or contrast a point.
- in fact
Used to add emphasis or introduce information that is true.
- on the other hand
Used to introduce a contrasting point or alternative view.