“〜hoka ni・hoka ni wa”: Besides / In Addition / Other Than [JLPT N3]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
Expressing what's outside a range or what else there is
「ほかに要りますか？」 — 「ほかに」, besides this, in addition
A clerk asks 「ほかに何かお付けしますか？」 (would you like anything else added?) — 「(noun ＋ の／verb dictionary form) ＋ ほかに」 means “besides ~, (also) ~,” bringing up an additional item or “nothing else.” Super common when shopping, listing, or explaining. This guide covers 「ほかに」's attachment, that “adding ‘other' beyond what's known” feel, and separates it from 「以外に／その上／ほかない」.
Core: beyond a known item, add “others”
「ほかに」 = “besides A, there's more / nothing else”:
- There's more (an additional item): これのほかに、何か必要な物はありますか (besides this, is there anything you need?).
- Nothing else (with a negative, uniqueness): 彼のほかに、この仕事ができる人はいない (besides him, no one can do this job).
Feel: “besides this (there is / isn't more)” — bringing up the presence or absence of “others.”
How to Connect
| Form | Attachment | Example |
|---|---|---|
| noun ＋ の ＋ ほかに | besides… | これのほかに |
| verb dictionary ＋ ほかに | besides doing… | 見るほかに |
| ほかに (alone) | in addition | ほかに質問は？ （Any other questions?） |
Example sentences
- これのほかに、何か必要な物はありますか。(Besides this, is there anything you need?) — asking for extras
- 当店では、コーヒーのほかに、紅茶もご用意しております。(Besides coffee, our shop also has black tea.) — listing
- 彼のほかに、この問題を解ける人はいない。(Besides him, no one can solve this problem.) — uniqueness (negative)
- ほかにご質問はありますか。(Are there any other questions?) — used alone
- 通勤に使うほかに、週末のドライブにも便利だ。(Besides commuting, it's also handy for weekend drives.) — verb
⚠️ Where learners slip up
① Nouns add 「の」, verbs don't. noun ＋ のほかに (水のほかに, ✗ 水ほかに); verb dictionary form attaches directly ＋ ほかに (✗ 食べるのほかに → ✓ 食べるほかに). 「の」 only follows a noun; a verb dictionary form takes no の.
② 「ほかに」 (besides, in addition) vs 「以外に」 (other than, slightly formal/excluding). Often interchangeable (これのほかに／これ以外に), with a subtle difference: ほかに is more colloquial, often with an “and also there's” addition (ほかに要りますか = anything else?); 以外に is slightly formal, stressing “excluding a certain item” (会員以外に = people other than members). For an everyday addition use ほかに; for a formal exclusion use 以外に.
③ 「ほかに」 (besides) vs 「ほか(は)ない／ほかない」 (have no choice but to). ほかに = besides this (there is/isn't another item); 〜ほかない = can only…, no other way (no other choice) (諦めるほかない = have no choice but to give up). Don't mix “besides” ほかに with “have no choice but” ほかない.
🔄 Compare with similar forms: ほかに／以外に／その上／ほかない
| Form | Nuance | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ほかに | besides, in addition (adding/uniqueness) | これのほかに |
| 〜以外に | other than (slightly formal, excluding) | 会員以外に |
| その上 | moreover, on top of that (adding) | その上、安い |
| 〜ほかない | have no choice but to… | 諦めるほかない （there's nothing for it but to give up） |
💡 How to remember this
The core of 「ほかに」 is “beyond a known item, adding ‘others'” — ほかに要りますか (anything else?), これのほかに (besides this, there's), 彼のほかにいない (besides him, no one). Two points: ① attachment — nouns add 「の」 (水のほかに), verb dictionary forms attach directly (見るほかに), don't add の after a verb; ② don't mix it with 「ほかない」 — ほかに = besides (there is/isn't another), ほかない = have no choice but to (諦めるほかない). On register: 「のほかに」 stuck after a noun mid-sentence works in speech and writing; to open a sentence picking up a list, use 「そのほか(に)」. For “besides, in addition,” ほかに rolls off best.
❓ Quick FAQ
Q: How do I tell 「ほかに」 from 「以外に」?
Very close in meaning (both “other than”), often interchangeable, differing in nuance and emphasis. 「ほかに」 = besides, in addition (more colloquial, often an ‘and also there's' addition): コーヒーのほかに、何か飲みますか (besides coffee, anything to drink? — an added question), ほかに意見はありますか (any other opinions?). 「以外に」 = other than (slightly formal, stressing ‘excluding a certain scope'): 関係者以外立ち入り禁止 (no entry except staff — excluding), 彼以外に適任者はいない (there's no suitable person other than him). So: an everyday “and also there's” addition → ほかに (colloquial); a formal “excluding ~” → 以外に. Many sentences take either (これのほかに／これ以外に both work); ほかに is just more casual, 以外に more formal with an excluding feel.
Q: When attaching a noun vs a verb before 「ほかに」, do I add 「の」?
By word type: ① noun ＋ の ＋ ほかに (add の): 水のほかに (besides water), 日本語のほかに、英語も話せる (besides Japanese, can also speak English) — add 「の」 between the noun and ほか (✗ 水ほかに). ② verb dictionary form ＋ ほかに (no の): 家で休むほかに、何もすることがない (besides resting at home, there's nothing to do) — a verb dictionary form attaches directly to ほかに (✗ 休むのほかに). This is the most common error: nouns add の, verbs don't. Mnemonic: の only sticks to a noun (noun のほかに), a verb dictionary form attaches bare (verb ＋ ほかに).
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「これ___、何か必要な物はありますか。」(besides this, is there anything else you need)
(A) のほかに (B) のために (C) によって (D) について
Q2. What tends to follow 「ほかには〜」?
(A) 〜ない (nothing besides this) (B) 〜たい (C) 〜ください (D) 〜だろう
Q3. What does 「彼のほかには誰も知らない」 mean?
(A) Besides him, no one else knows
(B) He doesn't know either
(C) Everyone knows
(D) Only he doesn't know
Q4. What does 「ほかに」 mean?
(A) in addition / besides this
(B) therefore
(C) although
(D) deliberately
Q5. Which usage is correct?
(A) 水のほかにお茶もある。 (B) 水ほかにお茶。
(C) 水をほかにある。 (D) 水にほかのある。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) のほかに ── noun + のほかに.
2. (A) 〜ない ── ほかには〜ない.
3. (A) ── Besides him, no one knows.
4. (A) ── in addition / besides this.
5. (A) ── 「noun + のほかに」 is correct.