connective N2 common politewritten
〜は別として — apart from ~
〜は別として ・ 〜はべつとして
Builds on として
Meaning
- apart from ~ / leaving ~ aside / ~ being a separate matter — excludes one item from consideration so the rest can be discussed
Key sentence
冗談は別として、真面目に考えよう。
Joking aside, let's think about this seriously.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + は + 別として | Nは別として、[the rest] | 費用は別として |
| embedded question + は + 別として | 〜かどうかは別として | 行くかどうかは別として |
Examples
好き嫌いは別として、これは食べておくべきだ。
Likes and dislikes aside, you ought to eat this.
彼が来るかどうかは別として、準備は進めよう。
Whether or not he comes is a separate matter — let's get on with the preparations.
When you can't use it
- Sets the named item apart as 'a different question' and defers it; it readily attaches to an embedded question (〜かどうかは別として).
Easily confused with
はともかく Both shelve a topic. は別として frames it neutrally as 'a separate issue to handle later'; はともかく is more casual and can sound dismissive 'never mind that'. 〜以外 以外 excludes by set membership ('everyone except him'); は別として excludes a TOPIC from the current discussion ('that question aside'), not members from a group.
See 〜は別として in real sentences
Jengo shows 〜は別として the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.