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excepto

eks-SEP-tohekˈsepto

“excepto” means “except” in Spanish (introducing an exception).

except

Also: but, apart from, other than
Four identical bright red cubes are aligned in a neat row, with a single bright blue sphere positioned distinctly apart from the group, illustrating the concept of exclusion.

📝 In Action

Todos vinieron a la fiesta, excepto Juan.

A2

Everyone came to the party, except Juan.

Trabajo todos los días excepto los domingos.

A2

I work every day except on Sundays.

La tienda está abierta siempre, excepto cuando es feriado.

B1

The store is always open, except when it's a holiday.

No me importa el color, excepto que no sea amarillo.

B2

I don't mind the color, except that it can't be yellow.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • incluso (including / even)
  • también (also / too)

Common Collocations

  • excepto que – unless / except that
  • todos excepto uno – all except one

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "excepto" in Spanish:

apart from→but→except→other than→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: excepto

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'excepto' to say 'I like all fruits except bananas'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
excepción(exception) — Noun
excepcional(exceptional) — Adjective
exceptuar(to except / to exclude) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'exceptus', which is the past participle of 'excipere', meaning 'to take out' or 'to exclude'. It's a combination of 'ex-' (out) and 'capere' (to take).

First recorded: Around the 15th century.

Cognates (Related words)

English: exceptFrench: exceptéItalian: eccetto

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'excepto', 'salvo', and 'menos'?

Great question! In most everyday situations, they mean the same thing and you can use them interchangeably. 'Excepto' is very common and neutral. 'Salvo' can sometimes feel a bit more formal or literary. 'Menos' is also very common in spoken Spanish. For a learner, you can't go wrong choosing any of them to mean 'except'.

Do I need to use 'a' or 'de' after 'excepto'?

No, you usually don't need another word right after 'excepto'. You just name the thing you're excluding. For example, 'Me gusta todo excepto el brócoli' (I like everything except broccoli).