In this post I’d like to discuss a few ways to express the concept of “except” in Japanese.
以外 is one of the most basic ways to say “except” in Japanese. You typically put it after a noun, pronoun, or verb. Here are a few examples:
- I’ve never downloaded an (computer/mobile) application except for games.
- On weekends, I plan on just sleeping except for watching TV.
- I can’t think of anything except that.
Don’t confuse this word with 意外（also pronounced いがい) which means “surprising”.
This expression literally means “If it’s not~” and can be used in a similar way as “except”
- Except for horror (genre) anything is fine with me.
Replacing じゃなければ here with 以外は would have the same meaning.
This expression is more formal and is used more commonly in writing.
- Except for natto (fermented soybeans) I love everything Japanese-style.
The opposite of this would be を含めて（ふくめて）which means “including”
- I think that Americans, including myself, should study harder.
ほか means “other” and has a similar nuance to 以外 because it excludes the subject it is being used with.
- There’s nothing as tasty as this.
- Do you have any other friends? (Here “他に” means “otherwise” or “in addition”)
- I don’t like his other songs much.
- Anything else?
- Others (you’ll often see this as the last answer on a multiple choice question on a test or survey)
Other related words
- 例外（れいがい）: exception
- 他人（たにん）： other person (besides yourself), stranger, unrelated person, outsider
- 部外者（ぶがいしゃ）：Outsider (can be an insult)