Japanese with Manga

And so, we're lost with それで

Grammar Explanation: The reason or result with それで

Manga panel from ちいさな森のオオカミちゃん showing example of And so, we're lost with それで.
ちいさな森のオオカミちゃん » Volume 1 » Page 109

Wolf and her friends travel through the forest, seeking the location Turtle recommended to them. After going in circles for a bit, Wolf spots Owl and Horned Owl.

オオカミ:
「それで…　道(みち)に迷(まよ)っちゃって…」
“And then, we got lost...”
Literal: “And so... we ended up getting lost...”

Key Points

1道(みち)に迷(まよ)う means to lose one’s way
  • The literal pieces are 「道(みち)に」 plus 「迷(まよ)う」, but the phrase means “to get lost”.
  • The destination or correct route is not named because the focus is the failed navigation.
2迷(まよ)っちゃって trails off with embarrassment
  • 〜ちゃって is a casual contraction of 〜てしまって, often adding a sense that something unfortunate happened.
  • The final て leaves the explanation hanging, as if Wolf is sheepishly offering the problem rather than finishing a full sentence.
  • それで at the start of a sentence refers back to something previously said and introduces the result, much like “so” or “therefore” or “and then”.

See Also

ちいさな森のオオカミちゃん © its respective creators. It is used here for educational commentary.