El precio es aparte.

to be

Breakdown of El precio es aparte.

• el precio: the price
• aparte: separate

Questions & Answers about El precio es aparte.

Why does the sentence use es (El precio es aparte) and not está (El precio está aparte)?

In this sentence, es presents the idea as a general fact or a rule: the price is by nature / by policy separate and not included.

• El precio es aparte.
  → The price is separate (that’s how it is set up / that’s the rule).

If you say:

• El precio está aparte.

it sounds more like you are talking about a current, possibly temporary situation or location (less natural in this context), as if the price were “placed separately.”

So:

• es aparte = a characteristic of how it is charged (normal, standard phrasing)
• está aparte = could be understood, but is unusual here and suggests a physical or temporary separation.

What does aparte mean here in practical terms?

Here aparte means “separate, not included in what we’re talking about” and usually implies “you pay it in addition to something else.”

Typical uses:

• On a tour: Las entradas se pagan aparte.
  → Tickets are paid separately (not included in the tour price).
• At a restaurant: La propina es aparte.
  → The tip is separate (not included in the bill).

So El precio es aparte communicates:
The price is not included in whatever has just been mentioned; you have to pay it as something extra.

Is aparte an adjective here, like separate, or an adverb?

In El precio es aparte, aparte functions more like an adverb or an adverbial complement with the verb es, describing how the price is charged: separately.

Key points:

• aparte does not change for gender or number:
  • El precio es aparte.
  • Los precios son aparte.
    (You do not say apartes.)
• With verbs about charging or paying, it regularly works as an adverb:
  • Se cobra aparte. → It is charged separately.
  • Se paga aparte. → It is paid separately.

So even though English uses an adjective (separate), in Spanish aparte here behaves like an invariable adverbial word.

Can I say El precio está aparte? Would it sound wrong?

It is not grammatically wrong, but it is not the normal choice for the meaning “the price is separate / charged extra.”

• If you say El precio está aparte, many native speakers will feel it sounds off or will interpret it more literally, as if:
  • the written price were physically somewhere else, or
  • you are emphasizing a temporary arrangement.

For the usual “not included, charged separately” idea, native speakers strongly prefer:

• El precio es aparte.
• Se cobra aparte.
• El precio se paga aparte.

Use es aparte (or se cobra aparte) for standard, idiomatic Spanish.

Are there other natural ways to say the same thing as El precio es aparte?

Yes, very common alternatives in Latin American Spanish include:

• Se cobra aparte.
  → It is charged separately.
• Se paga aparte.
  → It is paid separately.
• El precio se paga por separado.
  → The price is paid separately.
• El precio no está incluido.
  → The price is not included.
• No está incluido en el precio. (when referring to some extra item)
  → It is not included in the price.

All of these can convey that you must pay something extra, beyond what has already been mentioned.

Could a sign just say Precio aparte without El and without es?

Yes. On signs or in notes, Spanish often drops words that are “understood” from context.

So instead of:

• El precio es aparte.

a sign might say:

• Precio aparte.

This is a shorter, more “telegraphic” version, but the meaning is the same:

• The price is not included; you pay it separately.

Similarly, you may also see things like:

• Bebidas aparte. → Drinks not included.
• Transporte aparte. → Transport not included.

Why is it el precio and not la precio?

Because precio is a masculine noun in Spanish.

• el precio = the price
• los precios = the prices

Some related masculine nouns:

• el costo (the cost)
• el valor (the value)

So the correct article is el, not la:

• El precio es aparte. ✅
• La precio es aparte. ❌

What is the difference between aparte and a parte?

They look similar but are used differently:

1. aparte (one word) – adverb / adjective-like word

   • Meaning: separately, separate, aside.
   • Examples:
     • El precio es aparte. → The price is separate.
     • Se paga aparte. → It is paid separately.
     • Hablamos aparte. → We will talk separately / aside.

2. a parte (two words) – preposition a

   • noun parte
   • Often means to one side / to a part.
   • Examples:
     • Lleva estas cajas a parte de atrás. → Take these boxes to the back part.
     • Pon eso a parte. → Put that to one side.

In the sentence El precio es aparte, you must use the single word aparte.

In what kind of situations would someone actually say El precio es aparte?

Typical contexts:

• Clarifying what is or is not included:

  • —¿La entrega está incluida?
    —No, el precio es aparte.
    → “Is delivery included?” “No, it’s charged separately.”

• Talking about extras or additional services:

  • El desayuno está incluido, pero el estacionamiento es aparte.
    → Breakfast is included, but parking is extra.

• When something visible is not included in a base price:

  • El vestido cuesta 50 dólares; el cinturón es aparte.
    → The dress is 50 dollars; the belt is extra.

So it’s commonly used with things like delivery, tips, accessories, optional services, taxes, etc.

Is El precio es aparte used across Latin America, or is it regional?

El precio es aparte and related phrases like Se paga aparte / Se cobra aparte are widely understood and used across Latin America.

You may also hear regional preferences such as:

• No está incluido.
• Se paga por separado.
• Se cobra adicional.

But aparte in this sense (“separately, not included”) is very common and natural in most Latin American countries.