exceptuar
Lemma Details
Translation: to except; to exclude; to exempt; to make an exception
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: Derived from Latin 'exceptuare', a frequentative form of 'excipere' (to take out, to exclude), which comes from 'ex-' (out) + 'capere' (to take). The English cognate 'except' shares the same Latin root. Understanding this etymology helps connect the meaning to the idea of 'taking something out' of a general rule or category.
Commonality: 40%
Guessability: 80%
Register: formal
Example Usage
La ley exceptúa a los menores de edad de esta responsabilidad.
The law exempts minors from this responsibility.
Exceptuando el lunes, trabajo todos los días.
Except for Monday, I work every day.
No se puede exceptuar a nadie de cumplir con las normas.
No one can be exempted from complying with the rules.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'except' in English with a Spanish verb ending '-uar'
- Remember the phrase 'except you are' which sounds a bit like 'exceptuar'
- Visualize taking something out (ex-) and capturing (capere) it separately
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Cultural Context
This verb is more common in formal, legal, or academic contexts in Spanish. It's frequently used in legal documents when describing exemptions from rules or regulations.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'exceptuar' means to exclude or exempt something, 'aceptar' means to accept or receive something. They have almost opposite meanings despite sounding somewhat similar.
Notes: The prefix 'ex-' in 'exceptuar' indicates removal or exclusion, while 'a-' in 'aceptar' often indicates movement toward something.
Mnemonic: 'Exceptuar' has 'except' in it (to exclude), while 'aceptar' has 'accept' in it (to include).
Explanation: 'Exceptuar' means to make an exception, while 'ejecutar' means to execute or carry out an action. They share some similar sounds but have completely different meanings.
Notes: Both are formal verbs but used in different contexts - 'exceptuar' in legal or regulatory contexts, 'ejecutar' in performance or implementation contexts.
Mnemonic: 'Ejecutar' contains 'ejecu-' which sounds like 'execute', while 'exceptuar' contains 'except-'.