To express exceptions like "except" or "other than," you can use the word سوى.
Unlike some other exception words in Arabic, سوى is grammatically a noun. Because of this, it naturally forms an idaafa (genitive construction) with the word that follows it.
The Genitive Rule for Exceptions
The most important rule to remember is that the noun immediately following سوى must always be in the genitive case (مجرور).
| No one enters this area except an authorized officer. | لا يدخل أحد هذه المنطقة سوى ضابط مصرح له.laa yadkhulu ahadun hadhihi al-mintaqata siwa dabitin musarrahin lahu. |
| No one has clearance to enter this sensitive department except the female manager. | ليس لأحد صلاحية دخول هذا القسم الحساس سوى المديرة.laysa li'ahadin salâhiyyatu dukhûli hâdhâ al-qismi al-hassâsi siwâ al-mudîrati |
Affirmative and Negative Statements
You will frequently encounter سوى in negative sentences—setting up a strict rule (like restricted access) and then using سوى to provide the sole exception. However, it works exactly the same way in affirmative sentences. Whether the sentence is positive or negative, the noun after سوى remains genitive.
| No one bypasses the scanner in the restricted area except the security team. | لا يتخطى الماسح في المنطقة المحظورة سوى فريق الأمن.lâ yatakhattâ al-mâsiha fî al-mintaqati al-mahzûrati siwâ farîqi al-amni. |
| All the visitors bypassed these restrictions except one female visitor. | تخطى جميع الزوار هذه القيود سوى زائرة واحدة.takhattâ jamî'u azzuwwâri hâdhihi alquyûda siwâ zâ'iratin wâhidah |
| No one remains in the restricted area except the officer. | لا يبقى في المنطقة المحظورة سوى الضابط.lâ yabqâ fi al-mintaqati al-mahzûrati siwâ adh-dhâbit |
Seeing the endings
This course writes Arabic the way books and newspapers print it, without the short-vowel marks, so the ending this lesson is about is something you hear in the audio but never see in the drills. Here are some of them with every vowel written out:
| as written | fully vocalized | meaning |
|---|---|---|
| لا يدخل أحد هذه المنطقة سوى ضابط مصرح له. | لَا يَدْخُلُ أَحَدٌ هَذِهِ المِنْطَقَةَ سِوَى ضَابِطٍ مُصَرَّحٍ لَهُ. | No one enters this area except an authorized officer. |
| لا يبقى في المنطقة المحظورة سوى الضابط. | لَا يَبْقَى فِي المِنْطَقَةِ المَحْظُورَةِ سِوَى الضَّابِطِ. | No one remains in the restricted area except the officer. |
| تخطى جميع الزوار هذه القيود سوى زائرة واحدة. | تَخَطَّى جَمِيعُ الزُّوَّارِ هَذِهِ القُيُودَ سِوَى زَائِرَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ. | All the visitors bypassed these restrictions except one female visitor. |
The noun after سوى is always genitive, because it is the second half of an idafa: ضَابِطٍ, الضَّابِطِ, زَائِرَةٍ. Its role in the sentence makes no difference, and سوى itself never changes.
