L'autre/Les autres = The other one(s) (French Indefinite Pronouns)

Written by Qualified French Expert Aurélie Drouard HKH, Licence d'anglais LLCE
Last updated: 2022-12-02
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Indefinite pronouns refer to people or things without saying exactly who or what they are. "L'autre/Les autres" are part of the indefinite pronouns.

Learn how to use "l'autre / les autres" in French

Look at these sentences:

Je me suis cassé la jambe, mais l'autre fonctionne parfaitement.I broke my leg, but the other one works perfectly.

Trois filles sont restées au bal, les autres sont rentrées chez elles.Three girls stayed at the ball, the others/the other ones went home.

Celui-là est assez cher.
- Que penses-tu de l'autre ?This one is quite expensive.
- What about the other one?

J'aime bien son premier film.
-Je préfère les autres.I like his first film.
-I prefer the other ones.

Note that l'autre means the other one, and les autres means the others / the other ones.

Note that autre agree only in number (autres) with the object it refers to.

See also D'autres vs des autres = others (French Indefinite Adjectives)

 

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Examples and resources

Je me suis cassé la jambe, mais l'autre fonctionne parfaitement.I broke my leg, but the other one works perfectly.
Trois filles sont restées au bal, les autres sont rentrées chez elles.Three girls stayed at the ball, the others/the other ones went home.
J'aime bien son premier film.
-Je préfère les autres.I like his first film.
-I prefer the other ones.
Celui-là est assez cher.
- Que penses-tu de l'autre ?This one is quite expensive.
- What about the other one?
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