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"except, apart from" in seven languages

Meaningexcept, apart from

Spanish

excepto

/eksˈθepto/

learned

Salvo and menos are just as common: todos menos yo.

French

sauf

/sof/

other source · Latin SALVUM 'safe, unharmed'

Also the adjective 'safe' in sain et sauf 'safe and sound'.

Italian

tranne

/ˈtranne/

other source · Italian trarre 'to draw out' (Latin TRAHERE) + ne, 'take (it) out'

Eccetto, the learned twin of excepto, is also used.

Portuguese

exceto

/eˈsɛtu/

learned

In speech menos is just as common: todos vieram, menos o Marco.

Romanian

în afară de

/ɨn aˈfarə de/

other source · în + afară 'outside' (Latin AD FORĀS)

Catalan

excepte

/əkˈsɛptə/

learned

English

except

/ɪkˈsɛpt/

from Latin/French · Latin EXCEPTUS, via Old French

English → Italianexcept, apart fromtranneNot relatedDifferent sources — learn this one fresh. But English has relatives: exception, exceptional, accept.What English and Italian share

The Latin ancestor

EXCEPTUM‘taken out (EX + CAPERE 'to take')’

All six sisters descend from it, unless marked otherwise below.

The story

English and Spanish use the Latin 'taken out'; French says 'safe' (everyone is safe but one) and Italian 'take it out'.

English relatives: exception, exceptional, accept

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In a sentence

  • esVinieron todos excepto Marco.
  • frTout le monde est venu sauf Marco.
  • itSono venuti tutti tranne Marco.
  • ptTodos vieram, exceto o Marco.
  • roAu venit toți, în afară de Marco.
  • caVan venir tots excepte en Marco.
  • enEveryone came except Marco.

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