A bomba está avariada, por isso vamos usar outra.

Not necessarily. In this sentence, bomba most likely means pump or machine/pump device, depending on context.

In Portuguese, bomba can mean:

• bomb
• pump (for water, fuel, air, etc.)

So the exact meaning depends on the situation. If the sentence is about equipment or machinery, pump is usually the right meaning.

Avariada means broken, faulty, or out of order.

It comes from the verb avariar, which means to damage, to break down, or to malfunction.

So:

• A bomba está avariada = The pump is broken / faulty

In European Portuguese, avariado/a is very common for machines, devices, and vehicles that are not working properly.

Portuguese often uses estar for a temporary state or condition, and ser for identity, permanent characteristics, or classification.

Here, avariada describes the current condition of the pump, so estar is the natural choice:

• está avariada = is broken / is currently faulty

If you used é avariada, it would sound strange, as if being faulty were an essential characteristic of the pump rather than its present condition.

Because they agree with bomba, which is a feminine singular noun.

• a bomba = feminine singular
• avariada = feminine singular adjective
• outra = feminine singular pronoun/adjective

Portuguese words often change form to match the gender and number of the noun they refer to.

Compare:

• o carro está avariado = the car is broken
• a bomba está avariada = the pump is broken

Por isso means so, therefore, for that reason, or because of that.

It links the two parts of the sentence:

• A bomba está avariada = The pump is broken
• por isso = so / therefore
• vamos usar outra = we’re going to use another one

It is a very common way to express a result or consequence in Portuguese.

Because por isso introduces a consequence, and in sentences like this it is normally separated by a comma.

So the structure is:

• statement
• comma
• result/consequence

Example:

• Está a chover, por isso ficamos em casa.
• It’s raining, so we’re staying at home.

The comma helps show the pause and the logical connection between the two ideas.

Vamos usar is the structure ir + infinitive, which is very common in both European and Brazilian Portuguese for talking about the future.

It literally looks like we go to use, but it means:

• we are going to use
• often just we’ll use

So:

• vamos usar outra = we’re going to use another one

A simple future is also possible:

• usaremos outra

But in everyday speech, vamos usar is usually more natural and common.

Here, outra means another one.

The noun bomba is not repeated because it is understood from the context:

• vamos usar outra = we are going to use another [pump]

So outra is replacing the noun that was already mentioned.

This is very common in Portuguese:

• Quero este livro, não aquele.
• I want this book, not that one.

Both are possible.

• vamos usar outra = we’re going to use another one
• vamos usar outra bomba = we’re going to use another pump

Portuguese often omits the noun when it is obvious from context. Since bomba was just mentioned, outra alone is enough.

Because outra here means another one, not the other one.

• usar outra = use another one
• usar a outra = use the other one

This is an important difference:

• outra = another
• a outra = the other

So in this sentence, outra suggests a replacement, not a specific second item already identified.

Yes. Estragada is also very common and usually means broken or damaged.

So:

• A bomba está avariada
• A bomba está estragada

Both can work, but there is often a slight nuance:

• avariada is especially common for machines, equipment, cars, devices, etc.
• estragada is broader and can be used for many kinds of things

For mechanical or technical problems, avariada can sound a bit more precise.

Although vamos usar literally corresponds to we are going to use, in many contexts the natural English translation is simply:

• The pump is broken, so we’ll use another one.

This is a good reminder that Portuguese ir + infinitive does not always need to be translated word-for-word.

A rough pronunciation guide is:

A bomba está avariada, por isso vamos usar outra.
uh BOM-buh shtah uh-vuh-ree-AH-duh, pur AY-soo VAH-mush oo-ZAR OH-truh

A few European Portuguese points:

• está often sounds closer to shtá
• unstressed vowels are often reduced
• vamos is commonly pronounced something like VAH-mush
• outra begins with the ou sound, like oh / o

This is only an approximation, but it can help you recognise the sentence when you hear it.