Other and another (outro)

Saying "Other" and "Another"

In English, we distinguish between "another" (singular) and "other" (plural or uncountable). In Portuguese, you simply use a single word for both: outro.

Like other determiners, outro must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes, giving you four forms: outro, outra, outros, outras. It can be placed directly before a noun, or it can stand alone as a pronoun to avoid repeating a word.

We need other tires for our SUV.
Precisamos de outros pneus para o nosso jipe.
Do you prefer a manual car or do you want to try another one?
Preferes um carro manual ou queres experimentar outro?

Contracting with Prepositions

Just like the definite articles (o, a) and demonstratives (este, aquele), outro merges with the common prepositions em (in/on/at) and de (of/from).

Preposition+ outro+ outra+ outros+ outras
em (in/at)noutronoutranoutrosnoutras
de (of/from)doutrodoutradoutrosdoutras

When browsing vehicles at a dealership, you will frequently use the em contractions to talk about looking at or in another location or model.

We are not buying the car at this dealership, but rather at another one.
Nós não compramos o carro neste stand, mas sim noutro.
The trunk of this model is small, so we are going to look at another brand.
A bagageira deste modelo é pequena, por isso vamos ver noutra marca.

Likewise, when talking about the price, warranty, or features of a different car, you will use the de contractions.

If you want a more powerful engine, you have to accept the price of another car.
Se queres um motor mais potente, tens de aceitar o preço doutro carro.
This car is dirty, but the tires of another one are clean.
Este carro está sujo, mas os pneus doutro estão limpos.

Notice how in many of these sentences, noutro or doutro can stand completely on its own, acting as a pronoun meaning "in another one" or "of another one" based on the context of the conversation.