Definition: (adv) - beforehand, previously
Il avait déjà fini le travail une semaine auparavant - He had already finished the work a week before.
Je veux bien écouter l'histoire, mais cherchons une boisson auparavant. - I really want to hear the story, but let's get a drink first.
Related: avant (preposition or adverb) - before
What's the difference? Avant is used in simple present and past constructions, whereas auparavant is used to emphasize that the thing happened before the current situation (similar to the pluperfect). In my second example above, avant would also be acceptable.
All about French adverbs
(click the little red + white graphic below to hear the Mot du jour pronounced)
Il avait déjà fini le travail une semaine auparavant - He had already finished the work a week before.
Je veux bien écouter l'histoire, mais cherchons une boisson auparavant. - I really want to hear the story, but let's get a drink first.
Related: avant (preposition or adverb) - before
What's the difference? Avant is used in simple present and past constructions, whereas auparavant is used to emphasize that the thing happened before the current situation (similar to the pluperfect). In my second example above, avant would also be acceptable.
All about French adverbs
(click the little red + white graphic below to hear the Mot du jour pronounced)
Pronunciation: [o pa ra va(n)] 
