Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| außer | /ˈaʊ̯sɐ/ |
| bis auf | /bɪs aʊ̯f/ (word by word) |
| abgesehen von |
The preposition außer is used to introduce a noun or noun phrase that forms an exception or qualification to a statement.
Which one should you use?
While außer is a general preposition for "except", bis auf is often used to mean "except for" in the sense of "everything except for one specific thing" or "down to". The phrase abgesehen von is used to mean "apart from" or "aside from" when qualifying a statement or introducing a separate consideration.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form außer is marked as colloquial and nonstandard.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The preposition außer typically governs the dative case. For an alternative way to express an exception, you can use ausgenommen as a postposition, which means it is placed after the noun it qualifies.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈaʊ̯sɐ/
Did you know?
- The word außer is used in the common expression außer sich sein, which means to be beside oneself with rage or joy.
- In the phrase abgesehen von, the word abgesehen literally means 'looked away from', imagining the exception as something the speaker has stopped looking at.
- The German word außer is a direct linguistic relative of the English word 'outer', both deriving from roots meaning 'outside'.
Examples in context
- Alle kamen außer ihm.Everyone came except him.This sentence is useful for showing how to use außer with a pronoun.Tatoeba #12084648 by mayabe, translation #9741426 by DJ_Saidez
- Jeder lügt außer mir.Everybody lies, except me.This sentence demonstrates the use of außer to exclude a subject from a general statement.Tatoeba #12718802 by omamori, translation #6103430 by Hybrid
- Außer Mary kam niemand.No one came except Mary.This sentence shows how to use außer with a proper noun.Tatoeba #1392939 by Dejo, translation #324988 by CK
- 207 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julia and Felix are talking about their food preferences at a party.
- JuliaIsst du alles?Do you eat everything?
- FelixJa, außer Fisch.Yes, except fish.
- JuliaOh, das ist schade.Oh, that is a pity.
- FelixKeine Sorge, Julia.Don't worry, Julia.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “except” translations and entries außer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (bis, auf) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries auf, außer, bis, von, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
