Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| sauf | /sof/ |
| excepté | /ɛk.sɛp.te/ |
| à part | /a paʁ/ |
| mais pas |
When you want to say 'except', use sauf. The phrase tout sauf is used idiomatically to mean 'anything but' (to express strong opposition) or 'everything except' (to express totality).
Which one should you use?
While sauf means 'except', the phrase mais pas is used when the 'but' functions as a conjunction to negate a specific part of a sentence (e.g., 'I like apples, but not pears') rather than acting as a preposition meaning 'except'. Additionally, note that mais is a translation of 'but' in French.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Cependant is a sophisticated way to say 'but' in a formal context.
How do you pronounce it?
/sof/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the French conjunction mais (meaning 'but' as a contrast) when they actually mean the preposition sauf (meaning 'except').
Did you know?
- Before pas became the standard word for negation in French, people used other nouns like goutte for 'drop' or mie for 'crumb' to add emphasis to a negative sentence.
- The phrase à part literally translates to 'to the side', suggesting that the exception is being physically set aside from the rest of the group.
- In French, the word part appears in several different contexts because it can be a noun meaning 'portion', a verb meaning 'to leave', or part of the phrase à part meaning 'except'.
Examples in context
- C’est tout sauf ça.It’s everything but that.This sentence shows how to use sauf to mean 'everything but'.Tatoeba #8568618 by sacredceltic, translation #8568616 by sacredceltic
- Non ! Tout sauf ça !No! Anything but that!This sentence demonstrates an idiomatic use of sauf to mean 'anything but'.Tatoeba #11434970 by lbdx, translation #11390262 by sundown
- Il est tout sauf mort.He is all but dead.This sentence uses sauf in the expression 'all but'.Tatoeba #131375 by nimfeo, translation #292762 by CM
- Je voudrais aller au cinéma, mais je n'ai pas assez d'argent.I would like to go to the cinema, but I don't have enough money.
- Il a travaillé dur, pourtant il a échoué à l'examen.He worked hard, but he failed the exam.
- Le film était long, cependant il était très intéressant.The movie was long, but it was very interesting.
- J'aimerais bien sortir ce soir, mais bon, je dois étudier pour l'examen de demain.I would love to go out tonight, but well, I have to study for tomorrow's exam.
- Je n'aime pas le football, par contre j'adore le tennis.I don't like football, but I love tennis.
- La météo prévoyait de la pluie, pourtant il fait beau aujourd'hui.The weather forecast predicted rain, but it's nice today.
- 272 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are deciding which fruits to buy.
- LéaJe veux tous les fruits sauf les pommes.I want all the fruits except apples.
- HugoPourquoi tu n'aimes pas les pommes ?Why don't you like apples?
- LéaElles sont trop acides pour moi.They are too sour for me.
- HugoD'accord, on prendra juste des poires.Okay, we will just take pears.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “but” translations and entries sauf, excepté, à part, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mais, part, pas, sauf, à, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
