When a French speaker enumerates two or more points in an argument — first this, secondly that, and on top of all that, this other thing — they reach for a small, well-defined family of discourse markers. The choice between them is almost entirely a register choice: d'une part… d'autre part sounds essay-like and structured; par ailleurs and en outre belong to formal and journalistic prose; de plus is neutral; par-dessus le marché is bistro French complaining about one thing too many. English masks this stratification under the bland moreover / furthermore / on top of that. French does not. This page lays the family out so you can pick the marker that matches the register and rhetorical move you actually want.
D'une part… d'autre part: the structuring pair
This is the most clearly paired of all French enumeration markers. D'une part sets up the first point; d'autre part sets up the second. Once you say d'une part, the reader expects d'autre part to follow within a sentence or two. Skipping the second half is felt as a broken parallel — a syntactic open quote with no close.
D'une part, le projet coûte trop cher ; d'autre part, il arriverait trop tard pour être utile.
On the one hand, the project costs too much; on the other, it would arrive too late to be useful.
D'une part, je comprends ses raisons. D'autre part, je ne peux pas accepter sa décision.
On the one hand, I understand his reasons. On the other, I can't accept his decision.
D'une part, la réforme améliorerait la productivité ; d'autre part, elle serait socialement coûteuse.
On the one hand, the reform would improve productivity; on the other, it would be socially costly.
The pair is (formal) to (neutral) in register — it is essay French, used in any dissertation, opinion column, formal email, or careful spoken argument. It is not literary or stiff: a French speaker disagreeing politely in a meeting will reach for it without sounding pretentious. But it is also not casual — friends arguing over dinner do not say d'une part… d'autre part; they say bon, déjà… and et puis…
A frequent variant adds a third or further point with d'une part… d'autre part… enfin, where enfin closes the list:
D'une part, c'est cher. D'autre part, c'est risqué. Enfin, ça ne nous apporte rien de nouveau.
On the one hand, it's expensive. On the other, it's risky. Finally, it brings us nothing new.
You may also encounter d'une part… de l'autre (without the second part), which is a stylistic variant common in older or more literary prose:
D'une part les militaires, de l'autre les civils — les deux camps refusaient de céder.
On one side the military, on the other the civilians — neither camp would yield.
This (literary) variant is fine to read but rarely the form to imitate in your own writing.
D'un côté… de l'autre: the spatial cousin
Where d'une part / d'autre part enumerates arguments, d'un côté / de l'autre enumerates sides — usually with a flavour of weighing two opposed positions. The metaphor is spatial: you are mentally placing things on the left and right sides of a balance.
D'un côté il y a les avantages économiques, de l'autre les coûts environnementaux.
On one side there are the economic benefits, on the other the environmental costs.
D'un côté j'ai envie de partir, de l'autre j'ai peur de tout perdre.
On one side I want to leave, on the other I'm afraid of losing everything.
D'un côté, mes parents ; de l'autre, mes amis. Je ne savais pas qui choisir.
On one side, my parents; on the other, my friends. I didn't know whom to choose.
The register is (neutral) — slightly less formal than d'une part / d'autre part, more conversational. Use it when you are personally torn between two options. Use d'une part / d'autre part when you are formally enumerating points in an argument.
Par ailleurs: the additive pivot
Par ailleurs introduces an additional consideration — usually one that shifts angle rather than continuing the same thread. It signals: and on a separate note, here is another point worth considering. It is a pivot, not just an addition.
Le candidat a vingt ans d'expérience. Par ailleurs, il parle couramment trois langues.
The candidate has twenty years of experience. Moreover, he speaks three languages fluently.
Cette mesure est efficace. Par ailleurs, elle est moins coûteuse que les solutions alternatives.
This measure is effective. Furthermore, it is less expensive than the alternatives.
Je ne peux pas venir samedi — j'ai un mariage. Par ailleurs, le train est en grève ce week-end.
I can't come Saturday — I have a wedding. Besides, the train is on strike this weekend.
The register is (formal) in writing, (neutral) in careful speech. Par ailleurs is the workhorse of formal French prose: news articles, reports, professional emails. The literal sense — by other [paths] — still colours it: the new point comes from somewhere else, a different angle.
A useful nuance: par ailleurs does not stack arguments in support of a single thesis. If both points argue the same conclusion, prefer de plus or en outre. If the second point opens a new dimension — and separately, also worth knowing — par ailleurs is exactly right.
De plus: neutral, additive, ubiquitous
De plus is the simplest additive marker — moreover, furthermore, additionally. It chains two points that pull in the same direction, supporting the same thesis.
Cette voiture consomme peu. De plus, elle est très silencieuse.
This car uses little fuel. Moreover, it's very quiet.
Je n'ai pas le temps. De plus, ça ne m'intéresse pas.
I don't have time. Furthermore, it doesn't interest me.
Le restaurant est excellent. De plus, les prix sont raisonnables.
The restaurant is excellent. On top of that, the prices are reasonable.
Register: (neutral) to (formal). De plus works in essays, news writing, professional emails, and careful spoken argument. It is slightly less weighty than par ailleurs and slightly more formal than spoken en plus (which is the same idea in casual register: en plus, ça coûte cher).
En outre: the formal additive
En outre is the (formal) to (literary) sibling of de plus. Same meaning — moreover, in addition — but heavier register. Found in legal texts, academic writing, official correspondence, and journalistic prose. In normal conversation it would sound stilted.
Le contrat est nul. En outre, le défendeur sera tenu de verser des dommages et intérêts.
The contract is void. In addition, the defendant will be required to pay damages.
Cette politique est inefficace. En outre, elle est juridiquement contestable.
This policy is ineffective. Furthermore, it is legally questionable.
Le rapport propose plusieurs réformes. En outre, il identifie trois priorités budgétaires.
The report proposes several reforms. In addition, it identifies three budget priorities.
If you are writing a dissertation (the French academic essay) or a formal letter, en outre is appropriate. If you are texting a friend, it would be absurd. There is roughly the same gap between en outre and de plus as between English furthermore and also.
Par-dessus le marché: the idiomatic complaint
This is the most colourful marker in the family — and it almost always carries a flavour of complaint. Literally: over and above the bargain. Idiomatically: and on top of all that, as if that weren't enough. It piles on a final, often unwelcome, additional fact.
Il est arrivé en retard, il a oublié les clés, et par-dessus le marché, il a renversé son café sur le canapé.
He arrived late, forgot the keys, and on top of all that, spilled his coffee on the sofa.
J'ai raté mon train, le suivant a deux heures de retard, et par-dessus le marché il pleut.
I missed my train, the next one is two hours late, and to top it all off it's raining.
Le restaurant était cher, le service lent, et par-dessus le marché les plats étaient froids.
The restaurant was expensive, the service slow, and on top of all that the food was cold.
Register: (informal) to (neutral). The phrase has a slightly old-fashioned, characterful flavour — your grandparents' generation uses it freely, younger speakers slightly less so but still very much in active use. It cannot appear in a formal essay or report; it belongs to spoken complaint and informal narrative.
Qui plus est: the bookish heightener
Qui plus est is the most (formal) marker on this page — bordering on (literary). It means what is more, and it is reached for to introduce a particularly weighty additional point in a careful argument. Always set off by commas; almost never used in unscripted speech.
L'œuvre est ambitieuse et, qui plus est, brillamment exécutée.
The work is ambitious and, what is more, brilliantly executed.
Le ministre s'est trompé sur les chiffres et, qui plus est, a refusé de le reconnaître.
The minister got the figures wrong and, what is more, refused to acknowledge it.
Cette stratégie est risquée, et qui plus est, elle ne s'aligne pas sur nos priorités.
This strategy is risky and, what is more, it doesn't align with our priorities.
If you are writing an editorial, a critical review, or a careful argumentative essay, qui plus est is a useful tool. In conversation it would sound very bookish — choose en plus or de plus instead.
The full register ladder
It is worth seeing all the additive / enumeration markers laid out by register, because the choice carries real social information about who you are and what kind of text you are producing.
| Marker | Register | Function |
|---|---|---|
| en plus | (informal) | and on top of that — neutral additive in speech |
| par-dessus le marché | (informal) | final-straw idiomatic complaint |
| de plus | (neutral) → (formal) | workhorse additive in writing |
| d'un côté… de l'autre | (neutral) | weighing two sides |
| d'une part… d'autre part | (formal) | structured enumeration of points |
| par ailleurs | (formal) | additive pivot to a separate angle |
| en outre | (formal) → (literary) | weighty additive in formal prose |
| qui plus est | (formal) → (literary) | heightened additive in argument |
Why these matter more in French than in English
English flattens this register stratification under a small handful of additive markers — moreover, furthermore, also, on top of that — and most speakers move freely between them without much social signalling. French does not. Par-dessus le marché in a formal report would brand the writer as careless; en outre in a casual conversation would brand them as pretentious; qui plus est in a chat message would simply be funny.
This is the deeper logic of register-marking in French: every position on the formality scale has its dedicated lexical tools, and using the wrong one is immediately audible to a French ear. Treat each marker as belonging to a specific text type, and learn at least one marker per register slot. With the family above you have at least one option for each slot from intimate spoken to formal written.
Common Mistakes
❌ D'une part c'est cher.
Incorrect — opens the pair without closing it. Where is *d'autre part*?
✅ D'une part c'est cher, d'autre part c'est inutile.
On the one hand it's expensive, on the other it's pointless.
❌ Et par-dessus le marché, le rapport recommande trois réformes structurelles.
Incorrect — *par-dessus le marché* is informal/complaining; it doesn't fit a neutral report.
✅ Et en outre, le rapport recommande trois réformes structurelles.
And in addition, the report recommends three structural reforms.
❌ Salut ! Je peux pas venir, je suis crevée. Qui plus est, j'ai du boulot.
Incorrect — *qui plus est* is bookish-formal; it clashes with the casual texting register.
✅ Salut ! Je peux pas venir, je suis crevée. Et en plus j'ai du boulot.
Hi! I can't come, I'm exhausted. Plus I have work to do.
❌ De plus, il joue du violon ; de plus, il parle russe.
Incorrect — repeating *de plus* in a series. Use varied connectors or the d'une part / d'autre part frame.
✅ Il joue du violon. Par ailleurs, il parle russe.
He plays the violin. Moreover, he speaks Russian.
❌ Par ailleurs, le projet coûte trop cher ; par ailleurs, il arrivera en retard.
Incorrect — *par ailleurs* is for pivoting to a *separate* angle, not for stacking arguments toward the same conclusion.
✅ D'une part le projet coûte trop cher ; d'autre part, il arrivera en retard.
On the one hand the project costs too much; on the other, it will arrive late.
Key Takeaways
- Pair markers: d'une part… d'autre part is paired. Open it, you must close it. Same with d'un côté… de l'autre.
- Additive markers stratify by register: from informal en plus / par-dessus le marché through neutral de plus and d'un côté… de l'autre to formal par ailleurs / d'une part… d'autre part / en outre and bookish qui plus est.
- Function matters: par ailleurs pivots to a separate angle; de plus / en outre stacks supporting points; par-dessus le marché piles on a final-straw complaint.
- Pick a marker matching both the register of your text and the rhetorical move you are making — French speakers hear both signals at once.
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