GrammarN22 min read2026-02-17

〜を除いて/を除き

Japanese grammar pattern meaning 'except for' or 'excluding' a specific item from a group

Meaning

を除いて/を除き expresses exclusion, meaning 'except for' or 'with the exception of.' It indicates that a particular person, place, or thing is not included in a statement that applies to everything else. The two forms are interchangeable, though を除いて is more commonly used in spoken Japanese.

Formation

Part of speechFormation
名词を除いて/を除き

Examples

  1. 10,000円以上のご注文は北海道・沖縄・一部地域を除いて送料無料でお届けいたします。
    For orders of 10,000 yen or more, we offer free shipping to all areas except Hokkaido, Okinawa, and some remote regions.

  2. 社員旅行は山田さんを除いて全員行きました。
    Except for Yamada, all employees attended the company trip.

  3. 彼は月曜日を除いて、毎日仕事の後にジムに通っています。
    He goes to the gym after work every day except Monday.

Summary

  • Use を除いて/を除き to exclude a specific item from a general statement
  • Both forms are grammatically equivalent; を除いて is more common in conversation
  • Attach directly to the noun being excluded: 名詞 + を除いて/を除き

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