освен че

Besides the Fact That

Level 5Sounds Like osven če

Освен че е умен, той е и работлив. (Besides being clever, he is also hardworking.)

How It Works

1. Adding a fact. Освен че means besides the fact that. The main clause adds a second point, and и (also) usually stands before it: Освен че готви хубаво, тя и пече страхотни торти (Besides cooking well, she also bakes amazing cakes).

2. Stacking complaints. It works the same way for bad news: Освен че закъсня, той забрави и документите (Besides being late, he also forgot the documents).

3. Except that. After a statement that everything is fine or complete, освен че names the one exception: Всичко мина добре, освен че валеше (Everything went well, except that it rained). The context tells you which meaning is meant.

4. With a noun, use освен alone. Че introduces a clause with a verb. Before a noun or pronoun, drop it: Освен английски, говоря и немски (Besides English, I also speak German).

5. Commas. Освен че is one conjunction, so no comma goes between its two words. The whole clause is set off with a comma: Освен че е умен, той е и работлив. See commas before subordinate clauses.

6. Similar words. Освен ако means unless: Ще дойда, освен ако не вали (I'll come unless it rains). For a stronger not only ... but also, see не само..., но и.

Examples (5)

  1. Освен че е умен, той е и много работлив.

    Besides being clever, he is also very hardworking.

  2. Освен че готви хубаво, Мария пече и страхотни торти.

    Besides cooking well, Maria also bakes amazing cakes.

  3. Освен че закъсня, той забрави и документите.

    Besides being late, he also forgot the documents.

  4. Освен че е близо до метрото, апартаментът е и много светъл.

    Besides being close to the metro, the apartment is also very bright.

  5. Всичко мина добре, освен че малко валеше.

    Everything went well, except that it rained a little.

    After "everything went well", освен че names the one exception.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting a comma between освен and че.

    Освен, че е умен, той е и работлив.
    Освен че е умен, той е и работлив.

    Освен че is one compound conjunction. The comma goes before or after the whole clause, never inside it.

  • Using освен ако to add a fact.

    Освен ако е умен, той е и работлив.
    Освен че е умен, той е и работлив.

    Освен ако means unless. To add a fact, use освен че.

  • Using че before a noun.

    Освен че английски, говоря и немски.
    Освен английски, говоря и немски.

    Че needs a clause with a verb. Before a noun, use освен on its own.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

освен чеLevel 5Besides the Fact That

Learn This First

Besides the fact that follows not only ... but also.

Words in This Pattern

освен