à peu près

Il y avait à peu près cinquante personnes.
There were about fifty people.
Le trajet dure à peu près une heure.
The journey takes about an hour.
Cela coûte à peu près vingt euros.
It costs roughly twenty euros.
Nous sommes à peu près à mi-chemin.
We are roughly halfway there.
Elle a à peu près mon âge.
She is about my age.

environ

approximativement

presque

plus ou moins

Etymology

Combines à, peu (“little”) and près (“near”); written as separate words in the adverbial expression.

What does à peu près mean?

It can mean approximately, almost or more or less.

Can it come before a number?

Yes: à peu près cinquante means about fifty.

Can it mean almost?

Yes: j’ai à peu près fini means I have almost finished.

Is it written with hyphens?

No. The adverbial expression has spaces.

How does it differ from à-peu-près?

À-peu-près with hyphens is a noun meaning an approximation.

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