English uses “differently” in many ways. French does not always use one direct match. The best choice depends on what “differently” means in the sentence.

The main French words are:

• différemment
• autrement
• d’une autre façon
• d’une manière différente
• pas comme
• autre chose
• sinon

Each has its own use.

Différemment

Différemment is the most direct match for “differently.” It means “in a different way.”

It is common in both speech and writing. It is pronounced “DEE FAY RAH MOn,” which is irregular pronunciation found in adverbs ending in “emment.”

Basic use

• Elle pense différemment. “She thinks differently.”
• Nous faisons les choses différemment ici. “We do things differently here.”
• Il voit le monde différemment depuis son voyage. “He sees the world differently since his trip.”
• J’aurais agi différemment. “I would have acted differently.”
• Les enfants apprennent tous différemment. “Children all learn differently.”

With verbs

• Parler différemment “To speak differently”
• Réagir différemment “To react differently”
• Faire différemment “To do things differently”
• Penser différemment “To think differently”

With negatives

• Je ne pouvais pas faire différemment. “I could not do otherwise.”
• Elle ne sait pas vivre différemment. “She does not know how to live differently.”

In some cases, English “differently” may sound more natural in French with autrement.

Autrement

Autrement is very common. It can mean:

• differently
• otherwise
• in another way
• otherly (its literal meaning, if that were a word!)

It is often more natural and idiomatic than différemment.

Meaning “differently”

• Pourquoi ne pas faire autrement ? “Why not do it differently?”
• Il faudrait voir les choses autrement. “We should see things differently.”
• Elle aurait répondu autrement. “She would have answered differently.”
• Je voudrais vivre autrement. “I would like to live differently.”

Meaning “otherwise”

• Dépêche-toi, autrement nous serons en retard. “Hurry up, otherwise we will be late.”
• Il faut partir maintenant, autrement ce sera trop tard. “We must leave now, otherwise it will be too late.”

English often separates “differently” and “otherwise” more strongly than French does. Autrement can cover both.

Fixed expression

• Voir les choses autrement “To see things differently”

This is very common in spoken and written French.

D’une autre façon

This means “in another way.” It is longer and slightly more descriptive.

Examples

• Explique-le d’une autre façon. “Explain it differently.”
• On pourrait faire cela d’une autre façon. “We could do that differently.”
• Elle s’habille d’une autre façon depuis son retour. “She dresses differently since her return.”

This form is common when the speaker wants to stress method or style.

Similar forms include:

• d’une manière différente
• d’une façon différente

Examples

• Il faut aborder le problème d’une manière différente. “We must approach the problem differently.”
• Elle voit la situation d’une façon différente. “She sees the situation differently.”

These forms are more formal than autrement.

Faire autrement

French often uses faire autrement where English uses “do things differently.”

Examples

• Tu aurais pu faire autrement. “You could have done things differently.”
• Je ne sais pas faire autrement. “I do not know how to do it differently.”
• Nous allons devoir faire autrement. “We are going to have to do things differently.”

This is one of the most useful patterns to learn.

Penser autrement

Another very common set phrase.

Examples

• Il pense autrement que ses parents. “He thinks differently from his parents.”
• Les jeunes pensent autrement aujourd’hui. “Young people think differently today.”
• Elle nous apprend à penser autrement. “She teaches us to think differently.”

Construing “differently from”

English often says:

• “differently from”
• “different from”

French usually uses de or que.

Examples

• Il agit différemment de son frère. “He acts differently from his brother.”
• Elle pense autrement que moi. “She thinks differently from me.”
• Ce restaurant fonctionne différemment des autres. “This restaurant works differently from the others.”

Pas comme

Sometimes French avoids a direct word for “differently” and simply says “not like.”

Examples

• Elle ne réagit pas comme avant. “She reacts differently from before.”
• Il ne parle pas comme les autres. “He speaks differently from the others.”
• Nous ne travaillons pas comme eux. “We work differently from them.”

This is very common in natural speech.

Sinon

Sinon usually means “otherwise,” but in some cases it overlaps with autrement.

Examples

• Pars maintenant, sinon tu vas manquer le train. “Leave now, otherwise you will miss the train.”
• Il faut étudier, sinon tu vas échouer. “You must study, otherwise you will fail.”

Unlike autrement, sinon does not usually mean “differently” in the sense of “in another manner.”

Other useful expressions

De façon différente

• Les deux artistes travaillent de façon différente. “The two artists work differently.”

D’un autre point de vue

Used when “differently” means from another angle or outlook.

• Elle voit le problème d’un autre point de vue. “She sees the problem differently.”

Changer sa façon de

Often used instead of “do differently.”

• Il a changé sa façon de parler. “He speaks differently now.”
• Nous devons changer notre façon de travailler. “We must work differently.”

English patterns and common French translations

“Think differently”

Possible translations:

• Penser différemment
• Penser autrement

Examples:

• Ils pensent différemment. “They think differently.”
• Il faut apprendre à penser autrement. “We must learn to think differently.”

“Do differently”

Possible translations:

• Faire différemment
• Faire autrement

Examples:

• J’aurais fait autrement. “I would have done it differently.”
• Elle fait toujours les choses différemment. “She always does things differently.”

“Treat someone differently”

• Traiter quelqu’un différemment
• Traiter quelqu’un autrement

Examples:

• Pourquoi me traites-tu différemment ? “Why do you treat me differently?”
• Ils traitent les étrangers autrement ici. “They treat foreigners differently here.”

“See differently”

• Voir différemment
• Voir les choses autrement

Examples:

• Depuis cet accident, il voit la vie différemment. “Since that accident, he sees life differently.”
• Elle voit les choses autrement maintenant. “She sees things differently now.”

Différemment versus autrement

These two words overlap a great deal.

Différemment

Usually stresses difference itself.

• Elle parle différemment depuis son séjour au Québec. “She speaks differently since her stay in Quebec.”

Autrement

Often sounds more natural, broader, or more idiomatic.

• On pourrait faire autrement. “We could do things differently.”

In many cases, either works.

Both possible

• Il pense différemment. “He thinks differently.”
• Il pense autrement. “He thinks differently.”

The second often sounds a bit more natural in speech.

Formal versus informal tone

More neutral or formal

• différemment
• d’une manière différente
• de façon différente

More natural in everyday speech

• autrement
• pas comme
• faire autrement

Common mistakes

Using différent instead of différemment

Différent is an adjective, not an adverb.

Correct:

• Elle agit différemment. “She acts differently.”

Not:

• Elle agit différent.

Overusing literal translation

English uses “differently” very often. French may prefer another structure.

English:

• “Things are done differently here.”

Natural French:

• Ici, on fait les choses autrement.
• Ici, ça fonctionne différemment.

Summary

The main translations of “differently” are:

• différemment for a direct sense of “in a different way”
• autrement for “differently” or “otherwise”
• d’une autre façon and similar forms for more descriptive phrasing
• pas comme for many everyday comparisons

French often prefers natural set phrases such as:

• faire autrement
• penser autrement
• voir les choses autrement

In many cases, a literal one-word translation is not the most natural choice.