それで

それで is a conjunction used to connect two ideas: what happened before and what followed as a result, consequence, or next action. It signals a transition from cause or situation to a consequence, decision, or continuation. It can translate to “therefore,” “so,” “because of that,” or “and then,” depending on the context and tone. In casual speech, it often starts a new clause or sentence. It can also be used to ask for the next step with “それで、どうしますか？” (So, what will you do?). Typical contexts include: stating a reason and describing the result; narrating a cause-and-effect sequence; moving the story forward after reporting a situation. Note that それで emphasizes the link to what follows rather than just repeating a reason. It is common in everyday conversations and written summaries alike, especially at N4 level for linking thoughts smoothly.