How to Say "except" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “except” is “excepto” — use 'excepto' when you want to exclude a person or thing from a general statement, functioning similarly to 'except for' or 'besides'..
excepto
/eks-SEP-toh//ekˈsepto/
Examples
Todos vinieron a la fiesta, excepto Juan.
Everyone came to the party, except Juan.
Trabajo todos los días excepto los domingos.
I work every day except on Sundays.
La tienda está abierta siempre, excepto cuando es feriado.
The store is always open, except when it's a holiday.
Excluding Something from a Group
Use 'excepto' to single out the one thing that is different from the rest of the group. It works just like 'except' in English. Just put it before the thing you want to exclude.
Using 'Excepto que' for Situations
When you want to talk about an exceptional situation (not just a thing), you can use 'excepto que'. This often means 'unless'. For example, 'Saldremos a caminar, excepto que llueva' (We'll go for a walk, unless it rains).
'Excepto' vs. 'Menos'
Mistake: “Not knowing that 'menos' can also mean 'except'.”
Correction: 'Todos vinieron excepto María' and 'Todos vinieron menos María' mean the same thing. They are often interchangeable, so don't worry too much about picking the 'wrong' one. 'Excepto' can feel slightly more formal.
menos
/MEH-nohs//ˈme.nos/
Examples
Todos mis amigos vienen a la fiesta, menos Ricardo.
All my friends are coming to the party, except Ricardo.
Puedes comer de todo, menos los pasteles.
You can eat everything, except the cakes.
Trabajo todos los días menos los domingos.
I work every day except Sundays.
salvo
/sal-boh//ˈsal.bo/
Examples
Todos aprobaron el examen, salvo dos estudiantes.
Everyone passed the exam, except for two students.
Puedes comer de todo, salvo los dulces.
You can eat everything, except the sweets.
Iremos a la playa, salvo que llueva.
We will go to the beach, unless it rains.
Excluding Something
'Salvo' is a handy word for pointing out an exception to a general statement. It works just like the English word 'except'.
Using 'salvo que'
When you combine it with 'que' to make 'salvo que' (unless), the verb that follows needs to be in a special 'wishing' form called the subjunctive. For example, '...salvo que llueva' (unless it rains), not '...salvo que llueve'.
Confusing with 'Excepto'
Mistake: “There isn't a big mistake here, but learners often wonder about the difference.”
Correction: 'Salvo' and 'excepto' mean the same thing and are almost always interchangeable. 'Excepto' is a little more common in everyday conversation, while 'salvo' can sound a tiny bit more formal.
sino
/see-no//'sino/
Examples
No quiero té, sino café.
I don't want tea, but rather coffee.
El coche no es rojo, sino azul oscuro.
The car isn't red, but dark blue.
No solo corrimos, sino que también nadamos.
We didn't just run, but we also swam.
Sino: The 'Corrector'
Think of 'sino' as a word that corrects or replaces something. It almost always follows a negative statement (something with 'no'). The pattern is: 'not this, sino that'.
When to Use 'sino que'
If the part of the sentence after 'sino' has its own action (a full verb), you need to add 'que'. For example: 'No salí, sino que me quedé en casa.' (I didn't go out, but rather I stayed home.)
Confusing 'sino' and 'pero'
Mistake: “El libro no es aburrido, pero interesante.”
Correction: El libro no es aburrido, sino interesante. Use 'sino' to directly correct a negative idea ('not boring, but interesting'). Use 'pero' to add a contrasting idea to a positive one ('Es interesante, pero muy largo' - 'It's interesting, but very long').
Choosing Between 'Excepto', 'Menos', and 'Sino'
Related Translations
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.