Altre, Mateix, Tal, and Cert

Altre, mateix, tal, and cert all help a speaker locate a noun relative to what is already in the conversation. Altre adds or contrasts a member, mateix identifies an exact match, and tal and prenominal cert deliberately leave identity partly unspecified.

The surrounding determiner matters. English “another,” “the same,” and “a certain” look like single vocabulary items, but Catalan often builds their meanings from an article plus an agreeing word, and a change of position can change the interpretation.

The agreement patterns

The second sentence shows the noun phrase as a system: article les, additive altres, numeral dues, noun candidates, adjective catalanes, and predicate convençudes all contribute different information.

Altre: addition or contrast

For English “another” before a singular count noun, Catalan normally uses un altre/una altra: un altre cafè, una altra cadira. This differs sharply from Spanish, where otro café normally lacks un. The visual similarity of Catalan altre and Spanish otro therefore hides an article difference.

The definite forms l'altre, l'altra, els altres, les altres identify the remaining or contrasting member(s): l'altre costat “the other side,” les altres persones “the other people.” Bare plural altres + noun introduces additional indefinite members: altres opcions “other options.” Plural uns altres/unes altres is also standard and presents a more explicitly bounded additional group: esperarem uns altres dos dies. In object position, d'altres + noun can likewise introduce further members: buscarem d'altres solucions.

Altre combines naturally after indefinite and negative quantifiers: alguna altra pregunta, cap altra sortida, qualsevol altra setmana. In these phrases it does not replace the first determiner; it adds the meaning “other.”

Mateix: exact identity and emphasis

For “the same,” use the definite article plus agreeing mateix: el mateix carrer, la mateixa hora, els mateixos errors, les mateixes paraules. A demonstrative may occupy the identifying slot instead: aquesta mateixa tarda “this very afternoon.”

The construction expresses identity, not merely similarity. Portem la mateixa jaqueta can mean that the jackets are of the same model and, depending on context, potentially the very same garment. If you mean resemblance without identity, say jaquetes iguals or una jaqueta semblant.

Mateix also reinforces a noun or pronoun with a “self/very” meaning: la directora mateixa, jo mateix, al centre mateix. This emphatic use often follows its anchor.

English leaves same unchanged, whereas Catalan agreement remains visible even after a demonstrative: aquest mateix document, aquesta mateixa carta, aquests mateixos documents, aquestes mateixes cartes.

Tal: a type, an unspecified referent, or a named stranger

In determiner use, gender-invariable tal and plural tals can mean “such” or refer to an entity whose exact identity is left unspecified. The construction is common in (formal) instructions and argumentation: en tal cas “in such a case,” sota tals condicions “under such conditions.” It also survives in everyday fixed expressions such as tal dia com avui.

With an indefinite article and a personal name, un tal/una tal means “a certain person called...,” often signaling that the speaker does not know the person or is keeping some distance.

English tall is a misleading look-alike: Catalan tal has nothing to do with height. “A tall woman” is una dona alta, not una dona tal. Also distinguish determiner tal from the conjunction-like expression tal com “just as/as,” which is invariable.

Cert before and after the noun

Before a noun, cert/certa/certs/certes means “a certain” or “some.” It tells the listener that the referent is relevant but not fully identified, and it may imply that the speaker knows more than is being said: certa persona, certs detalls.

An indefinite article can precede prenominal cert and soften or measure a quality: una certa por, un cert malestar. It often corresponds to English “a certain amount/degree of,” not to a fully identifiable individual.

After the noun, cert is descriptive and means “true, reliable, sure.” The contrast is clearest in this minimal pair:

Stacking and neutral adjective order

These items occupy ordered layers rather than a single interchangeable slot. Natural combinations include aquestes mateixes dues normes, les altres tres propostes, alguna altra solució pràctica, and una certa resposta evasiva. Identifying determiners come first, then identity/additive or quantity material, then the noun and its neutral descriptive modifiers.

The four paradigms described here belong to both Central and Valencian standards. There is no need to alternate forms merely to signal region. Colloquial pronunciations that reduce consonants should not be reproduced in general-standard spelling.

For the broader contrast between prenominal and postnominal readings, see Adjective Position.

Common Mistakes

1. Copying Spanish article distribution with altre.

2. Omitting the article from the same.

3. Guessing a Catalan noun's gender from Spanish.

4. Putting every descriptive modifier before the noun.

5. Missing the meaning change caused by position.

Key Takeaways

Use un altre/una altra for an additional singular member, definite l'altre/els altres for a known contrast, and bare altres for indefinite plural addition. Use an article or demonstrative with agreeing mateix to express exact identity. Formal tal/tals leaves type or identity unspecified, while un tal + name distances the speaker. Prenominal cert means “a certain/some”; postnominal cert means “true or reliable.”