eccetto
/etˈt͡ʃɛt.to/
The English word 'but' can be translated into Italian as eccetto, meaning 'except'. Wiktionary also lists salvo and tranne.
Meaning: except (conj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA |
|---|---|
| eccetto | /etˈt͡ʃɛt.to/ |
| salvo | /ˈsal.vo/ |
| tranne | /ˈtran.ne/ |
These words are used as conjunctions to indicate an exception, meaning 'except' or 'excluding'.
Which one should you use?
The words eccetto, salvo and tranne can all be used to mean 'except'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /etˈtʃɛt.to/. It has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use ma to mean 'except'. In Italian, ma is only used for the contrastive conjunction 'but' and cannot be used for exclusion.
Did you know?
- The word tranne is actually a hidden command. It is formed from the imperative of the verb trarre, which means 'to pull', combined with the particle ne.
- In formal contexts, you might see salvo used to mean 'unless'. For example, 'salvo imprevisti' means 'unless unforeseen events occur'.
- In Italian, the idea of 'except' is expressed through words that literally describe physical actions, such as 'pulling' tranne or 'taking out' eccetto.
Examples in context
- È tutto tranne un poeta.He is anything but a poet.This sentence shows how to use tranne to say someone is anything but a certain profession.Tatoeba #893687 by Guybrush88, translation #292103 by Zifre
- Risero tutti tranne Tom.Everyone but Tom laughed.This sentence demonstrates how to use tranne to exclude one person from a group that laughed.Tatoeba #3358556 by Guybrush88, translation #2261244 by CK
- Vennero tutti tranne Jim.All but Jim came.This sentence illustrates how to use tranne to exclude one person from a group that came.Tatoeba #2347415 by Guybrush88, translation #53221 by CP
- Vorrei partecipare alla riunione, tuttavia, ho un altro impegno importante.I would like to attend the meeting, but I have another important commitment.
- Volevo andare al cinema, però ho un esame domani.I wanted to go to the movies, but I have an exam tomorrow.
- Ho studiato molto, eppure ho preso solo un sei.I studied a lot, and yet I only got a six.
- Volevo venire alla festa, ma ho un'importante presentazione domani.I wanted to come to the party, but I have an important presentation tomorrow.
- Mi piace l'Italia, però non conosco ancora bene la lingua.I like Italy, but I don't know the language well yet.
- Ho cercato ovunque, eppure non riesco a trovare le chiavi.I've searched everywhere, and yet I can't find the keys.
- 69 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are discussing who is coming to the party.
- SofiaTutti vengono alla festa, eccetto Marco.Everyone is coming to the party, except Marco.
- FrancescoPerché Marco non viene?Why isn't Marco coming?
- SofiaLui deve lavorare stasera.He has to work tonight.
- FrancescoPeccato, mi mancherà.That's a shame, I will miss him.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “but” translations and entries eccetto, salvo, tranne, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries eccetto, salvo, tranne, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
