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そこで

so, and so (someone took action)

Situation。そこで、action taken。

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そこで introduces a deliberate action taken in response to a situation: 道がわからなかった。そこで、交番で聞いた, "I didn't know the way. So I asked at the police box".

The first sentence is a problem or a need; the second is what someone decided to do about it: 聞いた, 頼んだ, 決めた, 始めた.

It's close to それで, but それで can describe any consequence, including feelings and things that just happened. そこで is specifically "and so, we acted".

Compare すると, which is what happened next, not what anyone chose. そこで literally means "there", as in "at that point".

Examples

  • 道みちがわからなかった。そこで、交番こうばんで聞きいた。

    I didn't know the way. So I asked at the police box.

  • 客きゃくが減へってきた。そこで、値段ねだんを下さげることにした。

    Customers were falling away. So we decided to lower our prices.

  • 一人ひとりでは無理むりだった。そこで、友達ともだちに手伝てつだいを頼たのんだ。

    I couldn't manage on my own. So I asked a friend for help.

  • 英語えいごが苦手にがてだ。そこで、毎朝まいあさラジオで勉強べんきょうしている。

    I'm bad at English. So I study with the radio every morning.

  • 雨あめがやまない。そこで、試合しあいを来週らいしゅうに延のばした。

    The rain wouldn't stop. So we postponed the match to next week.

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