Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
Except for, other than, besides, excluding.
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate that something is excluded from a group, set, or situation, or to introduce an alternative or additional item.
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun + 以外
[Question Word] + 以外
[Verb/い-Adj/な-Adj (plain form)] + こと + 以外
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Commonly used in formal writing and speech.
Informal Situations
Commonly used in everyday conversation.
Written Language
Very common in written Japanese.
Spoken Language
Very common in spoken Japanese.
💡 Common Applications
Excluding a specific person or group.
Used to state that everyone/everything *except* the mentioned person/group is included or involved.
Example: 私以外、全員賛成しました。(Watashi igai, zen’in sansei shimashita.) – Everyone except me agreed.
Excluding a specific item or category.
Used to specify that something is not included in a list or category.
Example: このメニューにあるもの以外で何か注文できますか。(Kono menyuu ni aru mono igai de nani ka chuumon dekimasu ka.) – Can I order something other than what’s on this menu?
Excluding a specific time or place.
Used to indicate a time or place that is not included in the scope.
Example: 日曜以外は毎日営業しています。(Nichiyou igai wa mainichi eigyou shite imasu.) – We are open every day except Sunday.
Frequency
Very common.
Difficulty
JLPT N2
Example Sentences
彼以外にその事実を知っている人はいないでしょう。
Besides him, there is probably no one else who knows that fact.
この色以外に何かありますか？
Do you have anything other than this color?
休日は家でゆっくりすること以外、特に予定はありません。
Other than relaxing at home on my days off, I don’t have any special plans.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Often followed by に or は.
Using に often introduces something *in addition* to the item mentioned before 以外, while using は often emphasizes the *exclusion* of the item before 以外.
Example: この本以外に興味があるものは？ (What are you interested in besides this book?) vs. この本以外は全部読みました。(I have read everything except this book.)
Used with nominalized phrases.
When attaching 以外 to verbs or adjectives, they must be nominalized using こと.
Example: 寝ること以外何もしたくない。(Netu koto igai nani mo shitakunai.) – I don’t want to do anything except sleep.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Attaching 以外 directly to verbs or adjectives.
✅ Use こと before 以外 when attaching it to verbs or adjectives.
以外 primarily attaches to nouns. To use it with other word types, they need to be turned into a noun phrase using こと.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral; can be used in both formal and informal contexts depending on the surrounding language.
Social Situations: Applicable in a wide range of social situations.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese.
🔍 Subtle Differences
～以外 (igai) vs. ～を除いて (wo nozoite)
以外 is general and widely used. ～を除いて is more explicit and often slightly more formal, specifically meaning “excluding” or “with the exception of”.
When to use: Use 以外 for general “except for” or “other than”. Use ～を除いて when you want to emphasize the specific act of exclusion, often in more formal contexts or lists.
～以外に (igai ni) vs. ～のほか (no hoka)
Both can mean “besides” or “in addition to”. のほか can also mean “except for” similar to 以外. 以外に often emphasizes the alternative/additional aspect more strongly, while のほか can sometimes feel slightly softer or more inclusive depending on context.
When to use: Both are often interchangeable for “besides”. Choose based on desired nuance and context. 以外 is very versatile for both “except for” and “besides”.
📝 Conjugation Notes
Attaches directly to nouns. For verbs/adjectives, use the plain form + こと + 以外.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounced “i-gai”. The “i” is short, and the stress is typically on the second syllable “gai”.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of 以 (i) as “based on” or “from” and 外 (gai) as “outside”. So, 以外 means “outside of what is based on/mentioned” -> “except for” or “other than”.
Vocabulary List
秘密
himitsu
secret
週末
shuumatsu
weekend
特に
tokuni
especially, particularly
真面目
majime
serious, diligent
授業中
jugyouchuu
during class
全員
zen’in
all members, everyone
賛成する
to agree
Practice Exercises
このクラスには、日本人学生（ ）留学生が多いです。
a) 以外に
b) 以外が
c) 以外の
d) 以外を
彼はゲームをすること（ ）、あまり外に出ない。
a) 以外
b) 以外の
c) こと以外
d) こと以外の
私は仕事（ ）、趣味もたくさんあります。
a) 以外
b) 以外の
c) こと以外
d) こと以外の
スポーツ（ ）、彼は音楽にも詳しいです。
a) 以外
b) 以外の
c) こと以外
d) こと以外の
勉強すること（ ）、毎日ジョギングもしています。
a) 以外
b) 以外の
c) こと以外
d) こと以外の
5 Views
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.