N4 Expressing Multiple Reasons

それで: meaning, usage and examples

それで means: therefore / that's why.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 昨日きのうは雨あめでした。それで、家いえにいました。

   It rained yesterday. That's why I stayed home.

2. 財布さいふをなくしました。それで、警察けいさつに行いきました。

   I lost my wallet. That's why I went to the police.

3. 昨日きのうは熱ねつがありました。それで、仕事しごとを休やすみました。

   I had a fever yesterday. That's why I took the day off work.

4. 木村きむらさんは日本にほんの映画えいがが好すきです。それで、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしています。

   Mr. Kimura likes Japanese films. That's why he is studying Japanese.

When to use it

それで joins two sentences: A happened, and as a result B happened. It works like "so" or "that is why" at the start of the second sentence. It is common when telling a story or explaining what happened. In conversation, それで？ also means "And then?" when you want someone to continue.

Nuance

Neutral; fine in conversation and in writing. B is usually a fact or something that already happened. B is not normally an order, request, invitation or the speaker's will, so それで、行いきましょう sounds wrong.

Compare

だから can come before requests and opinions: 雨あめです。だから、傘かさを持もって行いってください. それで reports a result: 雨あめでした。それで、試合しあいは中止ちゅうしになりました. そして only adds the next thing (and then), with no cause: 朝あさごはんを食たべました。そして、出でかけました. Choose それで only when A really caused B.

Tip: Ask yourself whether B already happened or is a fact. If yes, それで fits. If B is a request or your own decision, use だから.