JLPT N4Everyday

以い外がいother than; except

以い外がい points at everything that isn't the thing you name: "other than", "except". 日にち曜よう日び以い外がい is every day but Sunday.

日にち曜よう日び以い外がいなら、いつでも大だい丈じょう夫ぶです。

Any day except Sunday is fine.

私わたし以い外がいは全ぜん員いんその話はなしを知しっていました。

Everyone except me knew about it.

How to form it

Noun + 以い外がい

After it comes whatever the sentence needs: 以い外がいは, 以い外がいに, 以い外がいで, or 以い外がいの before a noun.

Before it: A noun: the one person or thing that is left out.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing, and on doors: 関かん係けい者しゃ以い外がい立たち入いり禁きん止し, "Staff only".

In use

この店みせでは現げん金きん以い外がいで払はらえますか。

Can I pay with something other than cash here?

この箱はこには本ほん以い外がいの物ものを入いれないでください。

Please don't put anything but books in this box.

スタッフ以い外がいは立たち入いり禁きん止しです。

Staff only.

Japanese says who can't go in: everyone but the staff. English names who can.

以い外がいに: except, or besides

With a negative, 以い外がいに is "except": nobody else, nothing else. 以い外がいにも is "besides": the one you name counts, and there are more.

田た中なかさん以い外がいにだれも来きませんでした。

Nobody came except Tanaka.

Tanaka came, and that was all.

田た中なかさん以い外がいにも三さん人にん来きました。

Three people came besides Tanaka.

Tanaka came, and so did three more.

Close neighbours

しか～ないN4

With a negative verb the two come to the same thing: コーヒー以い外がいは飲のみません also leaves only coffee.

朝あさはコーヒーしか飲のみません。

In the morning, I only drink coffee.

以い上じょう・以い下かN4

They look alike, but they follow a number: "or more", "or less".

一ひとつのグループは十じゅう人にん以い下かにしてください。

Please keep each group to ten people or fewer.

禁きん止しN4

"Forbidden". On a sign it comes straight after the thing you must not do, usually with no verb.

立たち入いり禁きん止し

No entry

を除のぞいてN2

"Excluding": the written, official choice.

祝しゅく日じつを除のぞいて、窓まど口ぐちは平へい日じつに営えい業ぎょうしています。

The counter is open on weekdays, excluding public holidays.

Check yourself

1What does this mean?

水すい曜よう日び以い外がいは毎まい日にち開あいています。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Did Yamada come?

山やま田ださん以い外がいにも二人ふたり来きました。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

それ以い外がい is "other than that": それ以い外がいは大だい丈じょう夫ぶです, "apart from that, it's fine".

意い外がい has the same kana and sounds almost the same, and is another word, "unexpected": 意い外がいに安やすい is "surprisingly cheap".

More sentences

数すう学がく以い外がいに好すきな科か目もくはありますか。

Do you like any subjects besides math?

予よ算さん以い外がいの問もん題だいも話はなし合あいましょう。

Let's talk about the problems other than the budget, too.

昼ちゅう食しょくはカレー以い外がいにします。

For lunch, I'll have something other than curry.