除了... 还有...
Reach for this when you want to add another item to something you've already mentioned — 'besides X, there's also Y.' It's how Chinese stacks items in a list without restarting the sentence. The first half names what's already on the table, the second half drops in the new addition. Works for people, places, things, reasons, anything countable. Very common in spoken Chinese the moment you remember one more thing.
Structure
除了 [KNOWN] 还有 [ADDITION]
chúle... hái yǒu...
How to Think About It
Think of 除了 as 'on top of' rather than 'except for.' When paired with 还有, the first item stays included — you're saying both X and Y, not 'Y instead of X.' That's the difference from English 'except,' which excludes. Here, the second clause builds on the first.
Examples
除了中文，他还会说日语。
Chúle Zhōngwén, tā hái huì shuō Rìyǔ.
Besides Chinese, he can also speak Japanese.
除了跑步，我还喜欢游泳。
Chúle pǎobù, wǒ hái xǐhuān yóuyǒng.
Besides running, I also like swimming.
除了北京，我还去过上海和广州。
Chúle Běijīng, wǒ hái qù guo Shànghǎi hé Guǎngzhōu.
Besides Beijing, I've also been to Shanghai and Guangzhou.
除了中文，他还会说日文和法文。
Chúle Zhōngwén, tā hái huì shuō Rìwén hé Fǎwén.
Besides Chinese, he can also speak Japanese and French.
除了周末，我平时还要加班。
Chúle zhōumò, wǒ píngshí hái yào jiābān.
Besides weekends, I also work overtime during the week.
除了北京烤鸭，你还应该尝尝小笼包。
Chúle Běijīng kǎoyā, nǐ hái yīnggāi cháng chang xiǎolóngbāo.
Besides Beijing duck, you should also try soup dumplings.
除了学习，他还喜欢打篮球。
Chúle xuéxí, tā hái xǐhuan dǎ lánqiú.
Besides studying, he also likes to play basketball.
除了下雨以外，我们还遇到了大风。
Chúle xià yǔ yǐwài, wǒmen hái yùdào le dà fēng.
Common Mistake
Learners often drop 还 and just say 除了...有..., which sounds incomplete. The 还 (also/still) is what carries the 'in addition' meaning — without it, the listener waits for the real verb.
除了美国，有很多国家也卖手机。
除了美国，还有很多国家也卖手机。
Don't Confuse With
除了……都……
Same 除了 word, opposite reading. With 都 it means 'except for X, everyone/everything else…'. With 还 it means 'on top of X, also Y.'
除了……之外，还……
Longer, slightly more formal version. Use it in writing or careful speech. The bare 除了……还…… is more conversational.
不但……而且……
Stronger, more emphatic 'not only… but also…'. 除了……还…… is neutral; 不但……而且…… stresses both halves equally.
除了...都...
'Everyone/everything EXCEPT X' — X is excluded from the set. 除了他，大家都来了 = everyone came except him. Opposite logic from 除了...还..., which INCLUDES X.
不但...而且...
'Not only X but also Y' — emphasizes that Y is surprising or notable on top of X. 除了...还... just lists; 不但...而且... ranks Y as additional impact.
Practice
Fill in the blank: ____ 苹果，我还买了香蕉。
Show answer
除了
Fill in the blank: 除了学习，他 ____ 经常运动。
Show answer
还
Arrange into a sentence: 除了 / 还 / 我 / 弹钢琴 / 唱歌 / 喜欢
Show answer
除了唱歌，我还喜欢弹钢琴。
Translate to Chinese: Besides tea, I also like to drink coffee.
Show answer
除了茶，我还喜欢喝咖啡。
Use 除了……还…… to list two hobbies you enjoy.
Show answer
除了看书，我还喜欢看电影。
Fill in: ___ 咖啡，我 ___ 喜欢喝茶。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 11 Fluentide episodes:
除了美国，还有很多地方。
除了最好的电影，还有最好的男演员。
除了最高领导人，还有好几位伊朗的高级官员也在这次袭击中失去了生命。
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 除了... 还有... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.