otro/otra

Question

What are the rules for using the article with otro or otra? I thought you weren't supposed to use the article, yet I see it, i.e. el otro día.

Answer 1

It wouldn't surprise me if natives occasionally make that same mistake.

Answer 2

Thank you very much. I feel stupid now that I have been saying "un otro" for over a year now!!

Answer 3

No, as explained above, you can't say "un otro" in Spanish.

otro = another (one)
el otro = the other (one)
algún otro = some other (one)

In your restaurant scenario, I would suggest "uno más," because "otro" could be construed as "a different one."

BTW, "dame" is written without a space between the verb and pronoun, where as "me da" does have a space. Since you are not a native speaker, I would recommend that you use a slightly more formal register (the level of politeness or formality) at restaurants.

¿Me da/trae uno/una más, por favor'

Answer 4

I just followed this email string and I guess I have a question now. If I am at a restaurant and ordering another drink....do I ask " Da me un otro, por favor." to ask for "another one"'

Answer 5

I think this is my answer, as dandi stated,
a excepción del indefinido un, con el que no puede combinarse,
Gracias a todos

Answer 6

I don't know if the link works:

The dictionary is called:

Diccionario panhispánico de dudas ©2005
Real Academia Española © Todos los derechos reservados

Answer 7

Hi motley, have a look at this:

otro -tra. 1. '[Persona o cosa] diferente o adicional'. Puede funcionar como adjetivo: Trataremos este aspecto en otro capítulo; o como pronombre: Ya tiene una casa. No necesita otra. Debe evitarse el empleo de la forma masculina otro ante sustantivos femeninos que comienzan por /a/ tónica (? el, 2.2): «Y otro área más con contenedores para papel y cartón» (NCastilla [Esp.] 24.5.99); debió decirse otra área.

1. Es compatible con el artículo (la otra opción) y con otros determinantes, como posesivos (mi otro hijo), demostrativos (ese otro), numerales (otros tres) o indefinidos (algún otro tema, ninguna otra cosa, muchos otros u otros muchos), a excepción del indefinido un, con el que no puede combinarse,

2. Como adjetivo, suele aparecer, con un verbo en forma negativa, en construcciones de significado restrictivo cuyo segundo término va introducido por que, o, menos frecuentemente, por sino o más que: «No cabía otra alternativa que la imaginación» (Palou Carne [Esp. 1975]); «No puede hacer otra cosa sino esperar» (Santiago Sueño [P. Rico 1996]); «No sabes hacer otra cosa más que seguir viviendo» (Puga Silencio [Méx. 1987]).

3. el otro día, la otra noche. ? día, 3 y noche, 3.

4. (el) uno con (el) otro, (la) una a (la) otra, etc. ? concordancia, 3.13.

This is taken from:

http://buscon.rae.es/dpdI/SrvltGUIBusDPD

Answer 8

you are right, however, it translates better as "uno y otro" - both of them

Answer 9

It was one of those things that shows you are not a native speaker, so don't do it & I can't remember where, nor can I find where I saw it. It probably is the indefinite article un, una.

Eddy, uno a otro means one another
el uno al otro means each other,
I'll assume uno y otro means one and the other?

Experts, where are you'

Answer 10

i have looked again and it would appear that dandi is correct. no example gives un or una directly. one example gives algún otro and another gives uno y otro. but as before there doesn´t seem a pattern. may be wrong though.

Answer 11

i have looked at about 50 examples in my dictionary. 85% do not use anything but about 15% use an article. i cannot see any rhyme or reason. there are two examples of a "temporary sequence". one uses la, the other, nothing. is it something you just have to learn as you go along'

Answer 12

i think you're not supposed to use it with the articles "un" or "una." like how in english we may say "another" but in spanish we can't say "un otro." though, i've seen "el otro" used often.
i find it a hard habit to break when i'm speaking spanish.