Decoded Slug: 对了 (duìle) - By the way; oh right
Mandarin Grammar Point
对了 (duìle) - By the way; oh right
对了 (duìle) - By the way; oh right
Short explanation:
'对了' is used to introduce a new topic or to suddenly recall something of importance.
Formation:
对了 + Rest of the sentence
Examples:
对了，我昨天看到了你的老朋友。
Duìle, wǒ zuótiān kàn dào le nǐ de lǎo péngyǒu.
By the way, I saw your old friend yesterday.
对了，我有个朋友也是学中文的，你们可以交流一下。
Duìle, wǒ yǒu gè péngyǒu yě shì xué Zhōngwén de, nǐmen kěyǐ jiāoliú yīxià.
Oh right, I have a friend who also studies Chinese, you can share some experiences.
对了，明天是母亲节，别忘了给妈妈送礼物。
Duìle, míngtiān shì mǔqīn jié, bié wàng le gěi māmā sòng lǐwù.
Oh right, tomorrow is Mother's Day, don't forget to send a gift to your mom.
对了，我刚才忘了告诉你，你的车被人刮了一下。
Duìle, wǒ gāngcái wàng le gàosù nǐ, nǐ de chē bèi rén guā le yīxià.
By the way, I forgot to tell you earlier, your car got scratched.
Long explanation:
The Chinese phrase '对了 (duìle)' closely aligns with the English expressions 'By the way' or 'Oh right', and is used to shift the conversation to a new topic, or to bring up a pertinent point that one almost forgot to mention. It can stand alone or be part of a sentence, and often injects an element of surprise to the conversation, indicating a quick change in the speaker’s train of thought.