You're standing in a bakery in Lyon. Or maybe you're just trying to survive a C1-level conversation with a native speaker who talks like a machine gun. You want to add a "but" to your sentence. It’s the most basic connector in the world, right? You probably learned mais on day one of French class.
But here is the thing.
If you only use mais, you’re going to sound like a robot. Or a toddler. Real French speakers have about a dozen different ways to pivot a sentence, and they use them to signal everything from polite disagreement to total disbelief.
Knowing how do you say but in French isn't just about a one-to-one translation. It’s about the vibe. It’s about knowing when to be formal and when to sound like you actually live in the 11th arrondissement.
The Heavy Lifter: Mais
Let's get the obvious one out of the way. Mais is your bread and butter. It is the direct equivalent of "but" in almost every situation.
Je voulais venir, mais je suis fatigué. (I wanted to come, but I'm tired.)
Simple. Clean. Effective. However, native speakers often shorten the pronunciation or use it as a filler word. You'll hear people start sentences with "Mais..." just to buy time while they think. It’s the "But..." that hangs in the air when someone is about to complain about the price of a baguette or the late metro.
There's also the emphatic Mais oui! or Mais non! which basically translates to "But of course!" or "Of course not!" In these cases, it’s not really acting as a contrast anymore; it’s an intensifier. If you want to sound more French, stop using bien sûr for everything and throw in a mais oui when you're agreeing with someone enthusiastically.
When "But" Actually Means "However"
If you’re writing an essay or trying to impress a boss, mais can feel a bit flimsy. This is where you step into the world of pourtant and cependant.
I remember talking to a French tutor once who told me that cependant is the "tuxedo" of the French language. You don't wear it to the grocery store. It’s formal. It’s "however" or "nevertheless." If you’re texting a friend about a movie, don’t use it. You’ll sound like you’re writing a dissertation on 17th-century literature.
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Pourtant, on the other hand, is the "jeans and a nice blazer" version. It translates closer to "yet" or "even so." It implies a bit of a contradiction or a surprise.
Il pleut ; pourtant, il n'a pas pris son parapluie. (It's raining; yet, he didn't take his umbrella.)
See the nuance? It’s not just a pivot; it’s highlighting the weirdness of the situation.
The "On the Other Hand" Crowd
Sometimes "but" is really just a way to weigh two options.
English speakers love saying "on the other hand." In French, you’ve got two main ways to do this: par contre and en revanche.
There is a weird, long-standing debate among French purists about par contre. For years, some grammarians (looking at you, Académie Française) claimed it was "incorrect" or "low class." They wanted everyone to use en revanche instead because it sounds more elegant. Honestly? In 2026, nobody cares. You will hear par contre a thousand times a day.
Le film était nul. Par contre, le pop-corn était excellent. (The movie sucked. On the other hand, the popcorn was excellent.)
If you want to sound slightly more sophisticated—maybe you're in a job interview—swap it for en revanche. It does the exact same job but feels a bit more "polished."
The Casual Pivot: "Enfin" and "Quoi que"
Now we’re getting into the territory of how people actually talk.
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Have you ever said something and then immediately corrected yourself? "I'll be there at five... well, actually, maybe five-thirty." In French, that "but/well" is often enfin.
On se voit à dix heures... enfin, si je me réveille. (See you at ten... well, if I wake up.)
It’s a linguistic eraser. It rubs out what you just said and replaces it with a slightly different version.
Then there’s quoi que. Be careful here. Don’t confuse it with quoique (one word), which means "although." When spoken quickly, quoi que or en même temps is used to mean "but then again" or "at the same time."
C’est cher. En même temps, c’est de la bonne qualité. (It’s expensive. But then again, it’s good quality.)
This is incredibly common in spoken French. It shows you’re weighing both sides of an argument. It’s less "I disagree" and more "I'm thinking out loud."
Advanced Level: "Or"
This one trips up everyone. In English, "or" is a choice (this or that). In French, ou is choice.
But or (O-R) is a conjunction that means something like "now" or "and yet" in a logical argument. You’ll see it in news articles or legal documents. It introduces a new fact that changes the context of the previous sentence.
- Socrates is a man.
- All men are mortal.
- Or, Socrates is a man... therefore he is mortal.
(Okay, that's a bad syllogism example, but you get the point.) If you see or at the start of a sentence in a French newspaper, it’s not giving you a choice between two things. It’s setting the stage for a "but."
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Why Context Changes Everything
You can't just swap these words out like Lego bricks. The "but" you use tells the listener how you feel about the contradiction.
If you use mais, you’re just stating a fact.
If you use pourtant, you’re expressing surprise.
If you use par contre, you’re finding a silver lining.
If you use cependant, you’re being a professional.
Most students fail to realize that French is a high-context language. It’s not just what you say; it’s the social layer underneath. If you use en revanche while arguing with your brother over who gets the last slice of pizza, he’s going to think you’re being pretentious. Use mais or par contre instead.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Stop saying mais at the end of every sentence while you're thinking. It’s a common habit for English speakers who are used to trailing off with "but..." In French, it sounds unfinished and slightly confusing. If you need a filler word while your brain catches up, use euh or alors.
Another big one: Mais non.
In English, we might say "But no, I didn't do that."
In French, Mais non is often a very strong "No way!" or "Not at all!" It carries more emotional weight than the English equivalent. If you use it too casually, you might sound more aggressive than you intend.
Practical Steps to Master the French Pivot
To truly understand how do you say but in French, you need to hear these words in their natural habitat. A dictionary won't help you with the "vibe."
- Listen for "En même temps": Watch French YouTubers or listen to podcasts like InnerFrench. Count how many times they say "en même temps" instead of "mais." It’s the ultimate modern French transition.
- Practice the "Pourtant" Surprise: Next time you talk about something unexpected (like a sunny day in London), use pourtant instead of mais. It adds a layer of "Wait, this is weird" to your speech.
- Write it down: If you’re preparing for a French exam (DELF/DALF), make a list of your "transition toolkit." Use cependant and néanmoins in your essays to boost your vocabulary score.
- Watch the "Enfin" Correction: Pay attention to how French speakers correct themselves mid-sentence. That little enfin is the key to sounding fluent rather than just rehearsed.
Basically, the goal isn't to stop using mais. It's a great word. The goal is to stop relying on it for everything. Start small. Pick one alternative—maybe par contre—and try to use it three times today. Then move on to the more complex ones. Before you know it, your French will have a rhythm and flow that sounds significantly less like a translation and a lot more like a conversation.
Focus on the contrast you're trying to draw. Is it a sharp turn or a gentle nudge? Choose your word based on that, and you'll be fine. French grammar is a headache, but the vocabulary for "but" is actually one of the most expressive parts of the language if you know how to use it.
Start noticing these transitions in movies or music. You'll realize that "but" is rarely just a three-letter word in the minds of the French; it's a way to navigate the nuances of a complex thought.
Key Takeaways for Your Vocabulary
- Mais: The universal "but." Safe everywhere.
- Pourtant: Use it when you're surprised or something is contradictory.
- Par contre: Great for "on the other hand" in casual talk.
- En revanche: The fancy version of "par contre."
- Cependant / Néanmoins: Keep these for your formal emails and essays.
- Enfin: Use this to correct yourself or say "well, actually."
- En même temps: The "but then again" of the modern French speaker.
Mastering these won't just make you more accurate—it'll make you more persuasive. And in French, being persuasive is half the battle.