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How to Say ‘On the other hand / however’ in French

Par contre

par KOHNTR

[par KOHNTR]

💬 Usage Tip: In everyday speech par contre usually just means "but" or "however", introducing a catch, such as a condition or a concern.

Phrase Breakdown

Par

[par]

on (in 'par contre')

Part of the fixed phrase 'par contre' meaning however.

Example

Par contre, je n'ai pas le temps.

However, I don't have time.

contre

[KOHNTR]

against / however

Means against; with 'par' it means on the other hand.

Example

Je suis contre cette idée.

I'm against this idea.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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