Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

How to Say Chance in Spanish: Oportunidad

Oportunidad · noun (feminine) · oh-pohr-too-nee-DAHD

Chance in Spanish is oportunidad (an opportunity), casualidad (a coincidence), or posibilidad (a likelihood), depending on the intended meaning.

Oportunidad is oh-pohr-too-nee-DAHD, with the stress on the last syllable.

Dame una oportunidad más para demostrar lo que puedo hacer.

Give me one more chance to show what I can do.

Chance in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for chance, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

SpanishEnglishPronunciationRegion / Register
oportunidadchanceoh-pohr-too-nee-DAHDDefault, widely understood
casualidadchancecoincidence/chance occurrence
posibilidadchancepossibility

How Native Speakers Use Oportunidad

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Giving someone a chance

Dale una oportunidad más, no te arrepentirás.

Give them one more chance, you won't regret it.

Opportunity meaning.

By chance/coincidence

Nos encontramos por casualidad en el aeropuerto.

We ran into each other by chance at the airport.

Casualidad for random occurrences.

Probability

Hay muchas posibilidades de que llueva mañana.

There's a good chance it will rain tomorrow.

Posibilidad for likelihood.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Oportunidad

Using chance directly

Incorrect: Hay un buen chance de ganar.

Correct: Hay una buena oportunidad de ganar.

While some regions accept chance as a loan word, oportunidad or posibilidad are the standard Spanish equivalents.

Mixing up meanings

Incorrect: Fue una oportunidad que nos encontramos.

Correct: Fue una casualidad que nos encontramos.

For coincidental encounters, casualidad (not oportunidad) is the right word.

Lock in Chance Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Oportunidad used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using oportunidad in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Dame una oportunidad más para demostrar lo que puedo hacer. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

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Common Questions About Chance in Spanish

How do you say chance in Spanish?
It depends on meaning: oportunidad for an opportunity given, casualidad for a random occurrence, and posibilidad for probability or likelihood.
Can I use the word chance in Spanish?
In some Latin American countries (especially Mexico), chance is used colloquially, but formal Spanish prefers oportunidad, casualidad, or posibilidad.
How do you say by chance in Spanish?
The phrase is por casualidad, equivalent to by coincidence or by chance, as in ¿por casualidad sabes dónde está? (do you by chance know where it is?).