…を除いて
…-o nozoite
In Japanese, "except" can be expressed as …を除いて (…-o nozoite) or …以外は.
Meaning: introducing a noun or noun phrase forming an exception or qualification (prep)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| …を除いて | …-o nozoite |
| …以外は | …igai-wa |
These phrases are used to introduce a noun or noun phrase that forms an exception or qualification to a statement.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase …を除いて is derived from the verb 除く, which literally means to exclude, remove or leave out.
Which one should you use?
…以外は is more commonly used in daily conversation to mean "except for" or "other than" when referring to a category or a set of things. In contrast, …を除いて is slightly more formal and often implies a deliberate act of excluding or removing something from a group.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When 以外 is followed by the particle に instead of は to form 以外に, the meaning can shift from "except for" to "besides" or "in addition to".
How do you pronounce it?
…-o nozoite
Did you know?
- In some poetic contexts, 除く can be used to mean 'to clear away' obstacles or clouds, moving beyond simple exclusion.
- In Japanese, the concept of 'except' often interacts with 'politeness levels'. Using を除いて in a casual setting can sound strangely cold or overly clinical.
- While 以外は means 'except', using the particle に to make 以外に can flip the meaning to 'in addition to'. A single particle change transforms a subtraction into an addition.
Examples in context
- 私（わたし）以外（いがい）の人（ひと）が参加（さんか）しました。People other than me participated.
- 犬（いぬ）以外（いがい）の動物（どうぶつ）が好（す）きです。I like animals other than dogs.
- 火曜日（かようび）を除（のぞ）いて毎日（まいにち）勉強（べんきょう）します。I study every day except Tuesday.
- 学生（がくせい）を抜（ぬ）きにして、全員（ぜんいん）集合（しゅうごう）してください。Everyone, please assemble, excluding the students.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “except” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
