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otro

OH-trohˈo.tɾo

“otro” means “another” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

another, other

A person at a cafe table is shown two identical cups of tea; they are pointing to a third, different-looking cup on a tray, indicating a preference for that one.

📝 In Action

¿Quieres otro café?

A1

Do you want another coffee?

Prefiero el otro coche, el azul.

A1

I prefer the other car, the blue one.

Necesito otras llaves para la puerta.

A2

I need other keys for the door.

Nos vemos otro día, cuando tengas más tiempo.

B1

We'll see each other another day, when you have more time.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • otro día – another day
  • por otro lado – on the other hand
  • de una forma u otra – one way or another

another one, the other one

Also: someone else / somebody else
A person in a store is holding a red shirt but looking at and pointing to a blue shirt on a rack, choosing 'the other one' without naming it.

📝 In Action

No me gusta este. ¿Me enseñas otro?

A2

I don't like this one. Can you show me another one?

Una galleta estaba rica, pero la otra estaba quemada.

B1

One cookie was tasty, but the other one was burnt.

Algunos fueron a la playa, otros se quedaron en casa.

B1

Some went to the beach, others stayed home.

Eso es problema de otro, no mío.

B2

That's someone else's problem, not mine.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • el uno al otro / la una a la otra – each other / one another

Idioms & Expressions

  • ser otro cantar – to be a different story / a whole other matter

🔀 Commonly Confused With

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "otro" in Spanish:

another→another one→other→

🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: otro

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence is the correct way to ask for 'another beer' in Spanish?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
potrorostro
📚 Etymology▼

Comes from the Latin word 'alterum', which meant 'the second of two' or 'the other'. Over time, it simplified in Spanish to 'otro' and broadened its meaning to include 'another' in a series, not just one of two.

First recorded: Around the 10th century.

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: outroFrench: autreItalian: altro

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I say 'un otro'? It feels so natural!

It's a very common feeling for English speakers! The best way to remember is that the Spanish word 'otro' already has the 'an' or 'a' built into its meaning. Think of 'otro' as a single package that means 'an-other'. Saying 'un otro' is like saying 'an another' in English—it's redundant.

What's the difference between 'otro' and 'diferente'?

'Otro' can mean 'different', but it often means 'additional' or 'one more'. 'Diferente' only means 'different' or 'not the same'. If you want one more cookie, you'd ask for 'otra galleta'. If you want a cookie that's not chocolate chip, you could ask for 'una galleta diferente'.

How do I say 'each other' or 'one another'?

You use a phrase with 'otro'. For two people, you'd say 'el uno al otro' (for men or a mixed group) or 'la una a la otra' (for women). For example, 'Se ayudan el uno al otro' means 'They help each other'.