- Used to resume a topic of conversation after an interruption or digression.
- Signals a return to the speaker's previous point.
Explanation
Origin
- A straightforward phrase indicating continuity of speech. As means in the way that or at the time that.
- It literally means Continuing from the point I was at when I was interrupted/stopped speaking.
Synonyms & Related Expressions
Alternatives
Slang/Informal:
- So yeah... (Common casual way to resume)
- Right then... (UK, signals resumption)
- Okay, so boom... (Urban/AAVE, used to energetically restart or continue a story/point)
Milder/Standard:
- To continue...
- Resuming my point...
Situational Appropriateness
- Appropriate in most contexts, informal to formal, where conversation interruptions occur.
Misunderstanding Warnings
- Generally well understood. Potential minor issue if the listener has forgotten the original topic completely.
Examples
- (After phone rings and call ends) Okay, sorry about that. As I was saying, the meeting is scheduled for 3 PM.
- The dog started barking, sorry. As I was saying before he went crazy...
- Wait, what was I talking about? Oh, right. As I was saying, we need to finalize the budget.
Dialogue
Context
Person A: ...so the best route is probably taking the main highway, unless there's traffic.
(Waiter arrives with drinks)
Waiter: Here are your drinks. Enjoy!
Person A: Oh, thanks! ... Right, as I was saying, if there's traffic, the back roads might be faster.
Person B: Got it.
Social Media Examples
- (Less common in text, more in spoken/video contexts)
- Live Stream: (After connection drop) Sorry about that folks, technical difficulties! As I was saying about the new update...
- Multi-Tweet Thread: 1/3 Blah blah blah. (Interruption tweet: Oops, cat walked on keyboard lol). 2/3 Anyway, as I was saying, the key factor is...
Response Patterns
- Listeners refocus their attention on the speaker.
- They might nod or say Right, Okay, to show they are ready to continue listening.
- The person who interrupted might apologize again briefly.
Common Follow-up Questions/Actions
- The speaker continues their original statement.
- Listeners might need a brief reminder of the exact point being returned to if the interruption was significant (What were you saying about...?).
Conversation Starter
- No. It explicitly requires a pre-existing conversation that was interrupted.
Intonation
- Often starts with a slightly higher pitch to regain attention.
- Stress typically falls on saying. As I was SAYing...
- Can sound slightly impatient if the interruption was long or annoying.
Generation Differences
- Used by all age groups.
Regional Variations
- Common in all major English-speaking regions.