how to say “by the way” in Hebrew

דֶּרֶךְ אַגַּב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-1.mp3″ /]

The Hebrew expression for by the way is דרך אגב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-1.mp3″ /] (also pronounced stressing the first syllable in אגב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-9.mp3″ /]) – literally, by way of the back or, if you will, piggybacking…

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-3.mp3″ /]דרך אגב, שלחת את המייל?

By the way, did you (a female) send the email?

The word דרך[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-4.mp3″ /] means way, while אגב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-5.mp3″ /] is made up of the word גב[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-6.mp3″ /] meaning backside, and the Aramic prefix -א[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-7.mp3″ /] meaning on – the equivalent of the Hebrew על[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-8.mp3″ /].

And the expression can be shortened to simply אגב, for example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/אגב-10.wav” /]אגב, אני עדיין מחכה לתשובה ממך.

By the way, I’m still waiting for an answer from you (a male).