Autre is the most common way to say “other” in French. But did you know there are several other options?

As you learn French, you'll inevitably need to express the idea of “other” in various contexts, whether you're talking about other people, other things, or other ways of doing something. Knowing different ways to say “other” will make your French sound more natural and precise!

Let's explore some common and less common ways to say “other” in French, helping you diversify your vocabulary and express yourself more precisely!

The standard 'other' or 'another' (adjective) – autre

The standard 'other' or 'another' (adjective) – autre

Autre is the most common and versatile word for 'other' or 'another' in French.

Unlike many French adjectives, autre is invariable in gender. It changes only for number, becoming autres in the plural.

As an adjective, autre always precedes the noun it modifies. For example, un autre livre (another book), d'autres personnes (other people).

When used with indefinite articles, you'll see un autre (another, masculine), une autre (another, feminine), and d'autres (other, plural). With definite articles, it's l'autre (the other, singular) and les autres (the others, plural).

It appears in many common expressions, such as quelque chose d'autre (something else), rien d'autre (nothing else), and entre autres (among others).

When referring to reciprocal actions, the phrase l'un(e) l'autre (each other) or les un(e)s les autres (one another) is used, emphasizing distinct individuals.

Be mindful of the distinction between un autre (a different one, another single item) and d'autres (some other ones, referring to multiple items or an unspecified quantity).

Autre is a neutral word and can be used in both formal and informal contexts without any change in meaning or connotation.

While primarily an adjective, autre can also function pronominally when preceded by an article, as in les autres (the others), effectively replacing a noun.

💡 * J'ai une autre question. (I have another question.)

Nous allons voir d'autres films ce week-end. (We are going to see other movies this weekend.)

Où est l'autre chaussure ? (Where is the other shoe?)

Ils s'aident les uns les autres. (They help each other.)

Il n'y a rien d'autre à faire. (There's nothing else to do.)

The 'another one' (masculine singular) – un autre

The French phrase un autre directly translates to "another one" or "an other" and is used when referring to an additional masculine singular item or person.

It's crucial to remember that un autre is specifically for masculine singular nouns. Its feminine singular counterpart is une autre, and for plurals, you would use d'autres (for both masculine and feminine).

You use un autre to indicate a different or additional item of the same kind. For example, if you're talking about a book (un livre), and you want to refer to a second, different book, you'd say un autre livre.

Often, the noun can be omitted if it's clear from the context. If someone offers you a piece of cake (un gâteau) and you want another one, you can simply say "Je voudrais un autre, s'il vous plaît" (I would like another one, please).

Un autre frequently appears in common expressions such as un autre jour (another day), un autre moment (another time), or un autre café (another coffee), making it a very versatile phrase in daily conversation.

While it means 'another', it implies an additional item of the same type, not necessarily a fundamentally different type. If you wanted to emphasize 'different', you might use adjectives like différent or distinct in conjunction with a noun.

💡 * Je vais prendre un autre café, s'il vous plaît. (I'll have another coffee, please.)

As-tu un autre stylo ? Le mien ne marche pas. (Do you have another pen? Mine isn't working.)

Ce n'est pas le bon, donne-moi un autre. (This isn't the right one, give me another one.)

On peut se voir un autre jour ? Je suis occupé aujourd'hui. (Can we see each other another day? I'm busy today.)

Il a acheté un autre ordinateur. (He bought another computer.)

The 'another one' (feminine singular) – une autre

In French, when you need to refer to 'another one' for a feminine singular item or person, the phrase you'll use is une autre. It directly translates to 'another' or 'another one' and is crucial for expressing quantity or choice.

The use of une autre is strictly for feminine singular contexts. The 'une' part signifies the feminine singular indefinite article, while 'autre' means 'other'. This combination ensures grammatical agreement with the noun it refers to or replaces.

You can place une autre directly before a feminine singular noun to modify it, similar to how 'another' is used in English. For example, une autre voiture (another car) or une autre chance (another chance).

Just like in English, une autre can also stand alone as a pronoun when the noun it refers to is clear from the context. For instance, if someone asks 'Do you want this apple?' you could reply, 'Non, je voudrais une autre' (No, I would like another one).

While this section focuses on une autre (feminine singular), it's helpful to remember its counterparts: un autre for masculine singular nouns (e.g., un autre livre - another book) and d'autres for plural nouns of either gender (e.g., d'autres personnes - other people).

💡 * Je voudrais une autre occasion. (I would like another opportunity.)

Elle a commandé une autre part de pizza. (She ordered another slice of pizza.)

Pouvons-nous essayer une autre méthode ? (Can we try another method?)

Non merci, je vais prendre une autre. (No thank you, I'll take another one.)

C'est une autre histoire. (That's another story.)

The 'other ones' (indefinite plural) – d'autres

The French phrase d'autres translates to “other ones” or simply “others” in English. It refers to an unspecified, indefinite plural group of people or things, without specifying exactly who or what they are.

D'autres can function as both an indefinite pronoun and an indefinite adjective. As a pronoun, it replaces a plural noun, meaning 'other ones'. As an adjective, it modifies a plural noun, meaning 'other' or 'additional'.

Grammatically, d'autres is a contraction of the preposition de and the indefinite adjective/pronoun autres. It always implies plurality and indefiniteness, distinguishing it from les autres (the specific others).

💡 * J'ai vu des amis, et d'autres sont arrivés plus tard. (I saw some friends, and others arrived later.)

Tu veux d'autres gâteaux ? (Do you want other cakes / more cakes?)

Certains aiment le café, d'autres préfèrent le thé. (Some like coffee, others prefer tea.)

Il y a d'autres solutions à ce problème. (There are other solutions to this problem.)

J'ai lu ce livre et d'autres. (I read this book and others.)

The 'the others' (definite plural) – les autres

Les autres directly translates to "the others" in English, referring to the remaining people or things in a group after some have been specified or separated. It's used to distinguish a particular subset from the rest of a known collective.

It functions as a definite plural pronoun or a determiner, always requiring the definite article les (the plural 'the') and autres (others). It signifies a specific group of 'others' rather than an indefinite quantity.

The word autres itself does not change for gender; it is always autres for both masculine and feminine plural. However, it must always be preceded by the plural definite article les, indicating that it refers to multiple individuals or items.

You'll use les autres when distinguishing a group from a previously mentioned or implied subset. For instance, after discussing a few members of a team, you might refer to les autres to include the rest of the team.

It's important not to confuse les autres (the specific 'others') with d'autres (some other, or simply 'others' in a more general, indefinite sense). Les autres points to a known, remaining group, while d'autres is more open-ended.

💡 * Certains sont partis, les autres sont restés. (Some left, the others stayed.)

Où sont les autres étudiants ? (Where are the other students?)

J'ai pris un croissant, et les autres ont pris des pains au chocolat. (I took a croissant, and the others took chocolate croissants.)

Ne t'inquiète pas pour les autres, concentre-toi sur toi-même. (Don't worry about the others, focus on yourself.)

Les uns aiment le café, les autres préfèrent le thé. (Some like coffee, the others prefer tea.)

The 'the other' (definite singular) – l'autre

In French, l'autre literally means “the other” in the singular. It's a fundamental word used to distinguish one thing or person from another within a pair or a larger group.

L'autre can function as an adjective, preceding a singular noun (masculine or feminine) to specify "the other" item. For instance, l'autre livre (the other book) or l'autre personne (the other person). It does not change for gender in the singular.

It can also act as a pronoun, standing alone to replace "the other one" when the noun is understood from context. For example, if someone asks "Which one do you want?" you might reply "Je voudrais l'autre" (I would like the other one).

L'autre is crucial in reciprocal expressions like l'un l'autre (each other/one another, for two people or things) and les uns les autres (each other/one another, for more than two people or things). These phrases are used to describe actions done mutually.

While l'autre is singular, its plural form is les autres, meaning "the others." Mastering l'autre and les autres is essential for clear communication, allowing you to differentiate between items or individuals effectively.

💡 * J'ai déjà lu ce livre, donne-moi l'autre. (I've already read this book, give me the other one.)

Où est l'autre chaussure ? (Where is the other shoe?)

Nous nous aidons l'un l'autre. (We help each other.)

Ils se sont parlé les uns les autres. (They spoke to one another.)

Je préfère l'autre option. (I prefer the other option.)

The 'others' (referring to people in a general sense) – autrui

The word autrui is a formal and somewhat philosophical term in French used to refer to "the others" or "other people" in a general, often abstract sense.

Unlike les autres (the others), which refers to specific groups, autrui is typically used in a more universal context, often implying humanity or one's fellow human beings. It frequently appears in ethical, moral, or philosophical discussions.

Grammatically, autrui is an invariable masculine singular pronoun. It is always preceded by a preposition (like de, à, pour, envers) and never takes an article or changes form based on gender or number.

💡 * Il faut toujours penser à autrui avant de prendre une décision. (One must always think of others before making a decision.)

Le respect d'autrui est une valeur fondamentale. (Respect for others is a fundamental value.)

Ne fais pas à autrui ce que tu ne voudrais pas qu'on te fasse. (Do not do to others what you would not want done to you.)

Sa bienveillance envers autrui est admirable. (His kindness towards others is admirable.)

The 'different' (implying another kind or type) – différent/différente

The 'different' (implying another kind or type) – différent/différente

The adjective différent (masculine singular) and différente (feminine singular) translates directly to 'different' in English.

This adjective is used to describe something that is not the same as another, implying a distinction in kind or type. Like all French adjectives, it must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies: différents (masculine plural) and différentes (feminine plural).

It often appears with the preposition de when comparing two things, meaning 'different from'. For example, C'est différent de ce que j'attendais (It's different from what I expected).

💡 * J'ai acheté une robe différente pour la fête. (I bought a different dress for the party.)

Ces deux cultures sont très différentes. (These two cultures are very different.)

Nous avons des opinions différentes sur ce sujet. (We have different opinions on this subject.)

Il cherche un travail différent. (He is looking for a different kind of job.)

Le résultat est différent de nos attentes. (The result is different from our expectations.)

The 'otherwise' or 'in another way' – autrement

The French adverb autrement directly translates to 'otherwise' or 'in another way' in English. It's a versatile word used to express an alternative, a different manner, or a consequence.

One of its most common uses is to indicate a consequence or an alternative condition, similar to 'otherwise' or 'or else' in English. It often implies that if a certain action isn't taken, a different outcome will occur.

Autrement can also describe performing an action or expressing something in a different manner, meaning 'differently' or 'in another way.' This usage focuses on the method or style of an action.

You'll frequently encounter autrement in specific expressions such as autrement dit, which means 'in other words,' used to rephrase or clarify a statement. Another common structure is autrement que, meaning 'other than' or 'differently from'.

💡 * Tu dois étudier, autrement tu échoueras. (You must study, otherwise you will fail.)

Pouvons-nous le faire autrement? (Can we do it differently/in another way?)

Autrement dit, c'est impossible. (In other words, it's impossible.)

Je ne peux pas vivre autrement qu'à Paris. (I cannot live other than in Paris.)

La situation est autrement plus complexe que prévu. (The situation is considerably/otherwise more complex than expected.)

Are there other ways to say 'other' in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say 'other' in French. But the French language, with its rich vocabulary, offers many subtle distinctions. From formal to informal, and depending on what 'other' refers to, you'll find a variety of expressions.

To delve deeper, you can also do an online search for 'comment dire autre en ___' followed by a specific context (e.g., 'comment dire autre en argot' for slang, or 'comment dire autre en littérature' for literary usage).

You might discover some interesting alternatives to 'autre' on this list. As always, make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you incorporate it into your vocabulary.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different nuances and expressions for talking about 'other' things or people.

And if you’re looking for a comprehensive list of synonyms and related expressions for 'autre,' the WordReference entry for autre is an excellent place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful in navigating the many ways to express 'other' in French. As the French writer Anatole France once said: La langue est un instrument d'analyse et de création. (Language is an instrument of analysis and creation.)

9 ways to say "other" in French