extraña

Extraña is the feminine singular form of the Spanish adjective extraño. It describes something that is unusual, surprising, or unfamiliar, and can be applied to objects, events, situations, or people. The sense ranges from “raro” or “insólito” to “extranjero” depending on context. Examples include una historia extraña, una costumbre extraña, and una persona extraña. The phrase me parece extraña expresses personal unfamiliarity or oddness.

Etymology and form: the word derives from Latin extraneus, meaning foreign or outside. As with many Spanish adjectives, extraña agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies: extrañas (feminine plural), extraño (masculine singular), and extraños (masculine plural). The adverbial form is extrañamente.

Usage notes: extraña is common in both formal and informal Spanish across dialects. It functions primarily as an adjective and is not typically used as a standalone noun; readers or listeners usually encounter phrases like “persona extraña” or “situación extraña” rather than “la extraña.” The term has a broad semantic field, overlapping with synonyms such as raro, insólito, and inusual, while its antonyms include normal and habitual. In literary or rhetorical contexts, extraña can contribute a nuanced sense of unfamiliarity, otherness, or peculiarity in description.