extranjera

Extranjera is the feminine form of the Spanish adjective and noun extranjero. It denotes someone or something that is from another country or outside a given national or local context. As a noun, extranjera refers to a woman who is not a native or resident of the place in question. As an adjective, foreign or overseas, it describes things originating outside the country, such as lengua extranjera (foreign language) or cultura extranjera (foreign culture).

Usage and gender: the masculine counterpart is extranjero, and the feminine noun is extranjera. When referring to groups, the corresponding plurals are extranjeros (mixed or all-male) and extranjeras (all-female). In everyday language, extranjeros is commonly used for foreign nationals in general, while extranjera highlights the gender of a single woman or a group of women.

Context and nuance: extranjeras can appear in social, cultural, legal, and literary contexts. The term is neutral in many settings but may carry sociopolitical connotations related to immigration, integration, or otherness, depending on tone and context. In official or formal discourse, terms like persona extranjera or nacionales de otro país are used to describe foreign individuals, with gendered forms following standard Spanish grammar.

Etymology: extraneus, from Latin, evolved into español extranjero and its feminine form extranjera, with related uses across Hispanic languages. The root conveys the sense of being outside or unfamiliar to the local context.