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    余談ですが (yodan desu ga - by the way, a side story)

    Grammar & Usage

    fixed expression
    neutral

    How it works

    This phrase literally translates to 'it is an aside, but...'. '余談 (yodan)' means 'anecdote, digression, side story'. 'ですが (desu ga)' is a polite copula 'desu' followed by the conjunction 'ga' (but/however), creating a softening effect and signaling that the following statement is somewhat tangential to the main topic. It functions as a discourse marker to introduce a related but non-essential piece of information.

    Sample sentences

    余談ですが、先週の会議で新しいプロジェクトについて話が出ました。

    By the way, there was talk about a new project at last week's meeting.

    今日のお天気の話とは余談ですが、来週は旅行に行く予定です。

    This is a bit off-topic from today's weather discussion, but I'm planning a trip next week.

    余談ですが、このレストランのシェフは私の旧友なんですよ。

    By the way, the chef at this restaurant is an old friend of mine.

    Quick facts

    politeness:The 'desu ga' ending makes it polite and appropriate for most situations, including business. It's a common way to introduce a tangent gracefully without sounding abrupt.
    usageContext:Used when you remember something additional or related that you want to share, but it's not crucial to the ongoing main conversation. It prefaces a slight digression.

    Mnemonic

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    Example

    余談ですが、先週の会議で新しいプロジェクトについて話が出ました。

    By the way, there was talk about a new project at last week's meeting.

    今日のお天気の話とは余談ですが、来週は旅行に行く予定です。

    This is a bit off-topic from today's weather discussion, but I'm planning a trip next week.

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