Posted inN3 Grammar

は別として (はべつとして): Setting Things Aside in Japanese

Posted inN3 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“apart from”, “leaving aside”, “except for”

🎯 Primary Function

To exclude a specific thing or matter from consideration when discussing something else, or to state that something is a separate topic or issue.

📋 Grammar Structure

Noun + は別として

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Frequently used in formal discussions, presentations, or writing to clarify that a specific point is not being addressed at the moment or is a separate issue.

😊 Informal Situations

Can be used, but perhaps less frequently than in formal contexts. More casual alternatives might exist depending on the nuance.

✍️ Written Language

Common in essays, articles, and reports.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in discussions, meetings, or anytime you need to clearly state an exception or set something aside.

💡 Common Applications

Excluding a specific item from a general statement.
Used to say “except for X, Y is true”.
Example: この件については、費用は別として、スケジュールに問題はない。(Regarding this matter, apart from the cost, there are no problems with the schedule.)
Stating something is a separate issue.
Used to say “X is a separate matter/topic”.
Example: 彼の性格は別として、仕事ぶりは素晴らしい。(Leaving his personality aside, his work performance is excellent.)
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📊
Frequency
Moderately frequent, especially in more structured conversations and writing.
🎚️
Difficulty
N3
Example Sentences
日本語の敬語は別として、日常会話は難しくない。
Apart from Japanese honorifics, daily conversation isn’t difficult.
今日の天気は別として、明日は晴れるらしい。
Leaving aside today’s weather, it seems it will be sunny tomorrow.
彼の外見は別として、とても優しい人だ。
Putting his appearance aside, he is a very kind person.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Specifies what is being excluded or set aside.
The noun preceding は別として is the item or topic that you are explicitly *not* discussing or considering in the following statement.
Example: 値段は別として、品質は最高だ。(Price aside, the quality is the best.) – This focuses the discussion on quality, ignoring the price for the moment.
Introduces a different point or condition.
It often implies that the item set aside might be problematic or different from what is being discussed next.
Example: 味は別として、栄養バランスは良い。(Apart from the taste, the nutritional balance is good.) – Implies the taste might not be great.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using it incorrectly with verbs or adjectives directly without nominalization.
✅ It primarily connects to nouns. If you want to exclude an action or state, you might need to nominalize it (e.g., Verb-こと/の は別として).
The particle は marks the noun (or nominalized phrase) as the topic being “set aside”.
❌ Confusing it with simple exception markers like ～以外 (igai).
✅ While similar, は別として often has a nuance of *acknowledging* the item but choosing *not to focus* on it for the current point, or stating it’s a *separate matter*. ～以外 simply means “other than”.
は別として can imply “regardless of X” or “putting X aside as a separate issue,” which is slightly different from a simple “except for X.”

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral to slightly formal.
Social Situations: Used in discussions, arguments, explanations, or analyses where you need to separate different aspects of a topic.
Regional Variations: No significant regional variations.

🔍 Subtle Differences

は別として vs ～を除いて (~o nozoite)
～を除いて is a more direct way to say “excluding” or “except for.” は別として can have the nuance of “putting X aside [for later or as a separate issue]” or “regardless of X,” while ～を除いて is purely exclusionary.
When to use: Use は別として when you want to acknowledge something but set it aside to focus elsewhere, or state it’s a separate issue. Use ～を除いて for a straightforward “except for X” list or exclusion.
は別として vs ～はもちろん (~wa mochiron)
は別として *excludes* X from the current point, while ～はもちろん *includes* X as something obvious, then adds something else.
When to use: Use は別として to put something aside. Use ～はもちろん to include something obvious and add more.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

It is used as a fixed phrase following a noun. No conjugation is required for は別として itself.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Pronounce 別 (べつ) clearly. と (to) is often pronounced quickly. The “shite” part is standard し (shi) and て (te).

🧠 Memory Tips

Remember 別 (betsu) means “separate” or “different”. は別として literally feels like “as making [this] separate/different”, helping you recall the “setting aside” meaning.

Practice Exercises
(彼の才能)＿＿＿＿、努力家だ。(Apart from his talent, he is a hard worker.)
は別として
としても
といえば
なら
この映画は、(ストーリー)＿＿＿＿、映像が素晴らしい。(Leaving aside the story, the visuals of this movie are amazing.)
をめぐって
は別として
に応じて
に比べて
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