outra

Outra is the feminine singular form of the Portuguese adjective and determiner outro, meaning “other” or “another.” It is used to refer to a different item or person than the one previously mentioned or assumed.

Outra agrees with the noun in gender and number. The masculine forms are outro and outros; feminine forms are outra and outras. It can function as a determiner before a noun (outra casa, outras pessoas) or as a pronoun when the noun is omitted (quero outra). It is also common in set expressions such as de outra forma (in another way), em outra tentativa (in another attempt), and outra vez (again, another time).

In usage, outra often signals a replacement, difference, or alternative rather than a repetition of the same thing. Its meaning can be adjusted by context: it may refer to a different option, a separate occurrence, or a different aspect, depending on the surrounding words. Examples include: Preciso de outra caneta (I need another pen); Não é esta, é outra (It’s not this one, it’s another); Foi uma decisão difícil, mas outra história (That was another story/another matter).

Etymology traces outra to the Latin root alter, through the evolution of Portuguese, which also yielded the masculine outro. The word is common across both European Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese and is versatile in everyday speech and formal writing.