Learn Hardcore Portuguese (Portugal): Noutras vezes, a advogada defende um cliente que parece culpado, mas é totalmente inocente. - At other times, the female lawyer defends a client who seems guilty, but is completely innocent.

em outras vezes = at other times / on other occasions
In European Portuguese, em + outras often contracts to noutras in speech and in writing.
So Noutras vezes simply means “At other times,” “On other occasions”.

You could also say Em outras vezes, a advogada…; it’s correct but less natural than Noutras vezes in this sentence.

What’s the difference between noutras vezes, outras vezes, às vezes, and por vezes?

All relate to frequency, but they’re not identical:

noutras vezes
- Literal: in/at other times
- Implies contrast with times previously mentioned: Sometimes X happens; at other times (noutras vezes), Y happens.
- Very natural here because we’re contrasting different types of situations the lawyer faces.
outras vezes (without em)
- Just other times or other occasions.
- Often used similarly to noutras vezes, but noutras sounds a bit more idiomatic in this “on other occasions” sense.
às vezes
- Means sometimes (in general), not necessarily in contrast to something just mentioned.
- Example: Às vezes, a advogada defende clientes culpados.
por vezes
- Also sometimes / at times, slightly more formal or literary.
- Example: Por vezes, a advogada sente-se frustrada.

In this sentence, Noutras vezes suggests “In other kinds of cases / on other occasions (as opposed to those already mentioned).”

Why is there a comma after Noutras vezes?

Noutras vezes is an introductory adverbial expression (it tells us when something happens). In European Portuguese, it’s standard to separate such introductory phrases with a comma:

Noutras vezes, a advogada defende…
De manhã, ela vai ao tribunal.

So the comma marks a pause and separates the time expression from the main clause. It’s similar to English:
“At other times, the lawyer defends a client…”

Why is it a advogada and not o advogado or uma advogada?

Three points here:

Gender agreement
- advogada is the feminine form of advogado (lawyer).
- The definite article must agree:
  - a advogada = the (female) lawyer
  - o advogado = the (male) lawyer
Definite article (a) vs. indefinite (uma)
- a advogada = the lawyer (a specific, known or already-introduced lawyer, or “the lawyer” as a known figure in this context).
- uma advogada = a lawyer (any lawyer, not specific).
Why a here?
- The sentence seems to talk about a specific lawyer the reader already knows about (from previous context).
- In Portuguese, it’s also common to use the definite article when describing a typical role of someone already known:
  - O João é o professor que…
  - A advogada defende… (this particular lawyer we’re talking about).

So: a advogada = “the (female) lawyer.”

How does the verb defende work here? What tense is it, and why isn’t there a continuous form?

defende is:

the 3rd person singular form (ele/ela/você)
of the verb defender (to defend)
in the simple present tense: ele/ela defende = he/she defends.

In European Portuguese, the simple present is used much more broadly than in English:

For general truths / habits / repeated actions:
- A advogada defende clientes todos os dias.
- Here, defende means “defends” in the sense “does as a regular action”.

Portuguese does have a continuous form (está a defender), but that’s used when emphasising an action happening right now:

Neste momento, a advogada está a defender um cliente.
→ “Right now, the lawyer is defending a client.”

In your sentence, we’re describing the lawyer’s typical work in different kinds of situations, so the simple present defende is the natural choice.

Why is it um cliente and not o cliente?

This is the indefinite article:

um cliente = a client / one client (not specified which one)
o cliente = the client (a specific client, known from context).

Here, the sentence describes a type of situation or generic scenario, not a particular, already-identified person. So um cliente works like English “a client” in:
“At other times, the lawyer defends a client who seems guilty but is totally innocent.”

What is the function of que in um cliente que parece culpado?

que here is a relative pronoun meaning “who” (referring to a person):

um cliente que parece culpado
= a client who seems guilty

Grammatically:

que refers back to cliente.
que is the subject of the verb parece:
- (Ele) parece culpado → que parece culpado.

You cannot replace que with quem here; quem would sound wrong in this direct modifying relative clause.
So think of que here as the standard “who/that” linking word in a relative clause.

Why is it parece culpado and not parece ser culpado?

Both are grammatically possible, but:

parece culpado is the most natural, standard way in Portuguese to say “(he) seems guilty”.
- Structure: parecer
  - adjective
- parece culpado = seems/looks guilty
parece ser culpado is more marked, heavier, and less idiomatic in everyday speech.
- It translates literally to seems to be guilty, but in this kind of sentence it sounds overly analytical or formal.

So for describing appearance or impression, Portuguese strongly prefers:

parecer + adjective
- Ele parece cansado. = He seems tired.
- Ela parece feliz. = She seems happy.
- Um cliente que parece culpado. = A client who seems guilty.

Do culpado and inocente need to agree in gender and number with cliente?

Yes, in Portuguese adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun:

cliente can be masculine or feminine:
- o cliente (male client)
- a cliente (female client)

In your sentence, um cliente is masculine singular, so:

culpado = masculine singular
inocente
- has the same form for masculine and feminine, but it still agrees in number:
  - o cliente inocente
  - a cliente inocente
  - os clientes inocentes
  - as clientes inocentes

If it were a female client:

uma cliente que parece culpada, mas é totalmente inocente.

Why is it mas and not porém or mas, no entanto?

All of these can introduce contrast, but they differ in tone:

mas
- Simple, very common “but”.
- Neutral and perfect for most spoken and written contexts.
- parece culpado, mas é totalmente inocente.
porém
- More formal / literary.
- Often used in written text, essays, or more elevated style.
- parece culpado; porém, é totalmente inocente. (more formal tone)
mas, no entanto
- A stronger, somewhat redundant emphasis (“but, however”) and sounds heavier.
- You’d usually pick mas or no entanto, not both, unless you’re really stressing the contrast.

In everyday European Portuguese, mas is the default and best choice here.

Can totalmente go in a different position, like é inocente totalmente? Does it change the meaning?

totalmente is an adverb meaning “totally / completely”. Its usual position is before the adjective:

é totalmente inocente
= he/she is completely innocent
(sounds natural and standard)

Other possibilities:

é inocente, totalmente.
- Possible in speech or informal writing for emphasis, similar to English “He is innocent, completely.”
- Feels more like an afterthought or extra emphasis.
é inocente totalmente.
- Grammatically possible but unusual and a bit awkward in modern European Portuguese.

So the natural word order is just like in the original:

mas é totalmente inocente.

Could you move noutras vezes to another part of the sentence, like in English?

Yes, you can move it, but some positions sound more natural than others. All of these are understandable:

Noutras vezes, a advogada defende um cliente…
- Most natural; standard introductory position.
A advogada, noutras vezes, defende um cliente…
- Also correct; commas indicate noutras vezes as a parenthetical time phrase.
- Slightly more formal or written style.
A advogada defende, noutras vezes, um cliente…
- Also possible but a bit more marked; stresses the “other times” more.
A advogada defende um cliente noutras vezes…
- Feels less clear, because noutras vezes can seem to modify just defende um cliente and the sentence risks sounding incomplete or clumsy unless there’s more context.

The original position at the beginning (Noutras vezes, …) is the cleanest and most natural in this kind of contrastive, explanatory sentence.