Language/French/Grammar/«-d'autres-»-VS-«-des-autres-»

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French Grammar – « d'autres » VS « des autres »

A contrast which English speakers often find difficult is between d'autres and des autres, d'autres 'other(s)' is an indefinite expression which is not accompanied by the plural indefinite article des:

  • Dans son article, elle a présenté d'autres idées (NOT *des autres idées)

In her article, she presented other ideas

  • D'autres (NOT des autres) auraient agi différemment

Others would have acted differently

  • J'en ai vu d'autres (NOT des autres)

I saw others des autres is only used where des is the fused form of preposition de and the definite article les of les autres 'the others':

  • Elle parlait des autres projets qu'elle dirige

She spoke of the other projects she directs

  • Je ne me rappelle rien des autres jours de ce mois

I remember nothing of the other days of that month

NB: This is a case where a change appears to be in progress. In spoken French des autres is often generalized to all these contexts.

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