à part
/a paʁ/
The English phrase "aside from" is translated into French as à part.
À part is used as a preposition to mean excluding or except for. It can also function as an adverbial phrase meaning "separately" or "on the side" to describe how something is placed or handled.
Meaning: excluding (prep)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase à part is composed of the preposition à (to/at) and the noun part (part/side), literally meaning "to the side" or "apart".
Which one should you use?
While à part can mean excluding, it is distinct from its use as an adverb describing something being handled or placed separately. Other ways to express "aside from" include the formal Mis à part and the common idiomatic transition À part ça, which specifically means "aside from that" or "other than that". Additionally, En dehors de is another expression used to convey the same meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a preposition meaning "aside from" or "except for", à part is typically followed by a noun or a pronoun.
How do you pronounce it?
/a paʁ/
Did you know?
- The phrase à part is used in French theatre to describe an 'aside', where an actor speaks directly to the audience while the other characters pretend not to hear.
- The preposition à in à part is a linguistic merger of two different Latin prepositions, ad and ab, which originally had opposite directions.
- The phrase à part shares a root with the English word 'apartment', which originally described a 'part' or a separate room carved out of a larger space.
Examples in context
- À part cela, il était en bonne santé.Aside from this, he was in good health.This sentence shows how to use à part to transition to a new topic regarding someone's health.Tatoeba #588763 by sacredceltic, translation #61093 by Luornu
- À part cela, M. Lincoln, comment était la pièce ?Aside from that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?This sentence shows how to use à part to ask a question about a play while excluding a previous subject.Tatoeba #11360760 by EEEEEEEEE, translation #11359903 by shekitten
- Mis à part le problème de logistique, le projet est bien conçu.Aside from the logistical issue, the project is well-designed.
- Hormis cette occasion spéciale, nous ne faisons pas d'exceptions.Aside from this special occasion, we do not make exceptions.
- Sauf son frère, tous étaient présents à la réunion.Everyone was present at the meeting, except for his brother.
- J'ai passé une excellente journée. À part ça, as-tu vu le dernier film français ?I had a great day. Aside from that, have you seen the latest French movie?
- En dehors de nos cours, que fais-tu pour te détendre ?Aside from our classes, what do you do to relax?
- À part le café, il n'y a rien à boire.Aside from coffee, there is nothing to drink.
Example conversation
Chloé and Gabriel are checking a shopping list at a grocery store.
- ChloéÀ part les œufs, qu'est-ce qu'il faut acheter ?Aside from the eggs, what else do we need to buy?
- GabrielIl nous faut aussi du lait, Chloé.We also need some milk, Chloé.
- ChloéD'accord, je vais le mettre dans le panier.Okay, I will put it in the basket.
- GabrielEt n'oublie pas le pain, s'il te plaît.And don't forget the bread, please.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aside from” translations and entries à part, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries part, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
