By the way: por cierto
When you want to bring up a new topic or add a quick side note during a conversation—perfect for making connections at a networking event—use por cierto ("by the way"). It smoothly shifts the conversation to something else that just crossed your mind.
| By the way, I just ran into the manager. | Por cierto, acabo de coincidir con la gerente. |
| By the way, we have a lot of mutual interest. | Por cierto, tenemos mucho interés mutuo. |
Speaking of which: a propósito
If someone mentions a topic and it reminds you of something related, you can use a propósito. It translates to "speaking of which" or "by the way", creating a natural bridge between ideas.
| Speaking of which, the entrepreneur's talk was brilliant. | A propósito, la charla del emprendedor ha sido brillante. |
| Speaking of which, they just exchanged ideas for the collaboration. | A propósito, acaban de intercambiar ideas para la colaboración. |
(Note: While *a propósito functions as "speaking of which" to shift topics, it can also mean "on purpose" in other contexts!)*
Speaking of...: hablando de
To explicitly name the topic you are shifting to, use hablando de ("speaking of"). It allows you to grab a specific word or theme from the current chat and seamlessly steer the conversation in that direction, which is incredibly useful when expanding your network or discussing collaborations.
| Speaking of the collaboration, we have to sign the contract. | Hablando de la colaboración, hay que firmar el contrato. |
| Speaking of business, we've exchanged cards! | ¡Hablando de negocios, hemos intercambiado tarjetas! |
| Speaking of entrepreneurs, they have expanded their connections. | Hablando de emprendedores, han ampliado sus vínculos. |