Look at these sentences:
Je voudrais autre chose.
Je voudrais quelque chose d'autre.
I would like something else.
Il veut autre chose.
Il veut quelque chose d'autre.
He wants something else.
Elle a choisi autre chose.
Elle a choisi quelque chose d'autre.
She chose something else.
Note that in French, there are two ways to say "something else": autre chose and quelque chose d'autre.
Now look at these questions:
Vous voulez boire quelque chose d'autre ?
Do you want to drink something else?
Do you want to drink anything else?
Vous voulez boire autre chose ?
Do you want to drink something else?
Do you want to drink anything else?
Ont-ils apporté autre chose ?
Ont-ils apporté quelque chose d'autre ?
Have they brought something else?
Note that you also use autre chose / quelque chose d'autre in questions, where they can also mean "anything else".
ATTENTION: in the case of questions, you won't use n'importe quoi, which literally means any thing (doesn't matter what).
See N'importe quoi = Nonsense, anything (indefinite pronouns)
See also the related lesson: Quelqu'un, Quelqu'un d'autre = Someone, Someone else (indefinite pronouns)
Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
Vous voulez boire autre chose ?
Do you want to drink something else?
Do you want to drink anything else?
Vous voulez boire quelque chose d'autre ?
Do you want to drink something else?
Do you want to drink anything else?
Je voudrais autre chose.
Je voudrais quelque chose d'autre.
I would like something else.
Elle a choisi autre chose.
Elle a choisi quelque chose d'autre.
She chose something else.
Ont-ils apporté autre chose ?
Ont-ils apporté quelque chose d'autre ?
Have they brought something else?
Il veut autre chose.
Il veut quelque chose d'autre.
He wants something else.
Melody
Kwiziq community member
25 October 2016
2 replies
Can I ask you another thing ?
vs. test Q: Can I ask you something else ? (Puis-je vous demander autre chose ? ) Re: the question, as stated, it's hard to imagine a situation where someone (A) wouldn't have already asked the person (B) one or more questions. Okay- a stretch: the person (B) says- "So you want to ask me about a,b,c." The questioner (A) says- "(No) can I ask you something else (instead)?" In English, "Can I ask you something else?" = yet another question, not a different question. Thus, "Can I ask you another thing ?" So, "Puis-je vous demander une autre chose ?" I'm confused, obviously! ;) Melody
Aurélie
Kwiziq language super star
2 November 2016
2/11/16
That was quite a confusingly long question :)
I completely agree with the nuances of meaning you pointed out between "Can I ask you something else?" and "Can I ask you another thing?", and all I can say is that this nuance doesn't really translate in French!
The reason is that you won't say "Puis-je vous demander UNE autre chose ?" in French, it sounds wrong, you would use "autre chose" or indeed "quelque chose d'autre".
I hope that answers your question!
À bientôt !
Melody
Kwiziq community member
2 November 2016
2/11/16
Thank you for sorting out my long question, understanding it correctly, and giving an excellent answer.