Grammar Info
N4 Lesson 5: 8/20

以外(いがい)
except・besides, other than, with the exception of

Structure
Verb + 以外
Noun + 以外
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
In order to mark something as ‘except (A)’, or ‘besides (A)’, 以外(いがい) will be used. This construction is a combination of the kanji 以(い) which means ‘by means of’, and 外(がい) ‘outside’. This expression can most accurately be translated as ‘with the exception of (A)’, or ‘everything outside of (A)’.
To use 以外(いがい), attach it to the thing that you want to highlight as being the ‘all inclusive’ amount/area.
  • 今日(きょう)和食(わしょく)いがいもの食(た)べたい
    Today I want to eat something other than Japanese food.
  • タロウゲームいがいに趣味(しゅみ)ある
    Taro, do you have any other interests besides gaming?
Fun Fact
以外(いがい) is also regularly used simply as an expression of surprise, when someone sees, hears, or reads something that is ‘outside’ of what they expected. However, in these cases, the more correct kanji construction is 意外(いがい) ‘out of mind’. This is a regular mistake that even native speakers make, so in many cases, either 意外(いがい) or 以外(いがい) would be understandable.
  • たかし君(くん)アニメ好(す)きなの?ちょっといがい
    Takashi-kun, do you like anime too? I'm a little surprised.
  • 俺(おれ)こう見(み)ても意外(いがい)に肉(にく)食(た)べない
    It may come off as a surprise based on how I look, but I don't eat meat.
Slow Male
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メアリー以外(いがい)誰(だれ)も来(こ)なかった
No one except Mary came.
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今(いま)まで漢字(かんじ)以外(いがい)何(なに)も勉強(べんきょう)していなかった
Until now, I haven't been studying anything except kanji.
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それ以外(いがい)聞(き)いてない
I haven't heard anything other than that.
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Japanese For Beginners
Self Taught Japanese
Books
Tobira
Page 216
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 54