paitsi

Paitsi is a Finnish word that functions as a particle and conjunction meaning "except" or "besides." It is used to express exclusion in a statement or to introduce a limiting or contrasting element. The term appears in two common constructions: a noun-phrase construction that marks an exception, and a clause construction introduced by että meaning “except that” or “besides that.”

In the noun-phrase use, paitsi is placed before the item or items that are excluded from a larger group. For example, in a sentence like Kaikki olivat valmiita paitsi Maria, the meaning is that everyone is ready except Maria. The complement after paitsi can be a pronoun or a noun phrase, and the exact form may vary with the syntactic role of the excluded element.

In the subordinate-clause use, paitsi että introduces a clause that presents a contrasting or corrective detail. For example, Paitsi että hän myöhästyi, kaikki sujui hyvin conveys that everything went smoothly except for his lateness. This construction emphasizes an exception within a broader evaluation or narrative.

Paitsi is a common feature of everyday Finnish and is found in both spoken and written language. In more formal contexts, synonyms such as lukuun ottamatta and poislukien may be used to express similar meanings of exclusion or exception.

See also: Finnish grammar, conjunctions, prepositions, exception.