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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'by the way' or 'that's right' with 对了 (duìle)

    Connecting Ideas
    Topic & Focus

    Structure

    对了 ，+ New Topic

    Explanation

    对了 (duìle) is a conversational interjection that can mean "by the way" when introducing a new topic, or "that's right" when confirming something. It is extremely common in spoken Chinese and helps transition between topics naturally. For example, 对了，你明天有空吗？ means "By the way, are you free tomorrow?"

    Examples

    • 对了，你上次说的那本书叫什么名字？

      Duì le, nǐ shàng cì shuō de nà běn shū jiào shénme míngzì?

      Oh right, what was the name of the book you mentioned last time?

    • 对了，我们周六还去不去爬山？

      Duì le, wǒmen zhōuliù hái qù bú qù páshān?

      Oh right, are we still going hiking on Saturday?

    • 对了，妈妈让我告诉你晚饭在冰箱里。

      Duì le, māma ràng wǒ gàosu nǐ wǎnfàn zài bīngxiāng lǐ.

      Oh right, Mom told me to tell you that dinner is in the fridge.

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