  The notion of generalized almost paracontact structure on the generalized
tangent bundle $TM\oplus T^*M$ is introduced and its properties are
investigated. The case when the manifold $M$ carries an almost paracontact
metric structure is also discussed. Conditions for its transformed under a
$\beta$- or a $B$-field transformation to be also a generalized almost
paracontact structure are given. Finally, the normality of a generalized almost
paracontact structure is defined and a characterization of a normal generalized
almost paracontact structure induced by an almost paracontact one is given.
