You're standing in a busy plaza in Madrid or maybe a coffee shop in Mexico City. You want to talk about a "chance" you took, or perhaps you're asking about the "chance" of rain. You pull out a translation app, type it in, and get posibilidad.
That's technically right. But it’s also kinda boring.
If you actually want to sound like a local, you need to know that how do you say chance in spanish depends entirely on whether you’re talking about a lucky break, a mathematical probability, or a "last chance" romantic moment. Spanish is moody. It’s specific. It doesn't like the one-size-fits-all approach we often use in English.
The Big Three: Oportunidad, Posibilidad, and Suerte
Most learners gravitate toward oportunidad. It’s a cognate. It feels safe. If you say, "Tuve la oportunidad de viajar," you’re saying you had the chance to travel. This works 90% of the time when "chance" means a favorable set of circumstances. It's the professional choice. Use it in job interviews. Use it when talking to your grandma.
But what if you're talking about a "game of chance"? You wouldn't say juego de oportunidad. That sounds like a weird corporate team-building exercise. For gambling or random luck, you need azar. This word comes from the Arabic az-zahr, meaning "the die." It’s poetic. It’s old school. When you talk about things happening "by chance," you say por azar.
Then there’s suerte. Sometimes, when we say "I didn't have a chance," we really mean "I didn't have any luck." In Spanish, these concepts bleed into each other constantly. If you missed a bus, a Spaniard might say "No tuviste suerte," rather than focusing on the "chance" itself.
The Slang Side: Chance and Chiripa
Here is where it gets fun. In many parts of Latin America, especially Mexico and Central America, people literally use the word chance. But they change the gender. It’s el chance.
"Dame un chance," they’ll say. Give me a chance.
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It’s an anglicism, sure, but it’s so deeply embedded in the local slang that it feels native. However, if you use el chance in the middle of a formal meeting in Seville, you’re going to get some very confused looks. They might think you’re trying to start a rap battle.
If something happens by a total fluke—a one-in-a-million stroke of luck—you use the word chiripa.
"Lo gané de chiripa."
I won it by a total fluke.
It’s a funny-sounding word. Use it. It makes you sound like you’ve actually lived in a Spanish-speaking country rather than just clicking through a green bird app for three years.
Context is King: Breaking Down the Scenarios
We need to look at specific situations because English is lazy. We use "chance" for everything. Spanish is more surgical.
1. Probability and Odds
When you’re looking at the clouds and wondering if you need an umbrella, you’re looking for probabilidades. "Hay chance de que llueva" works in casual Mexican Spanish, but "Hay probabilidades de lluvia" is the standard. If you're talking about the "chances of winning the lottery," you're talking about posibilidades.
2. Risk-Taking
"Take a chance on me," sang ABBA. In Spanish, you don't "take" a chance; you "play" it or "risk" it. The verb is arriesgarse.
"Me la voy a jugar."
Basically: I'm going to play it/take the risk.
It’s punchier. It carries the weight of the potential failure.
3. Opportunity for Growth
When a door opens in your career, that’s an ocasión. While oportunidad is common, ocasión feels a bit more fleeting, like a window that might close. "No dejes pasar la ocasión" means don't let the chance slip away.
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4. The "Second Chance"
This is almost always segunda oportunidad. We don't mess with this one much. Whether it's a relationship or a test, the structure stays the same.
Why "La Casualidad" is Your Best Friend
There is a beautiful word in Spanish that we often overlook: casualidad.
In English, we say "By any chance, do you have a pen?"
In Spanish, you say "¿De casualidad tienes una pluma?"
It doesn't mean "by casualty" (which is a common and embarrassing false friend). It means "by coincidence" or "happening to." It’s the polite way to nudge someone. If you see an old friend in the street, you might exclaim, "¡Qué casualidad!" What a coincidence! What a chance meeting!
According to the Real Academia Española (RAE), the authority on the language, casualidad refers to the combination of circumstances that cannot be foreseen or prevented. It’s the "butterfly effect" version of chance.
A Quick Reality Check on Grammar
You’ve got to watch your prepositions.
- Por casualidad = By chance.
- De casualidad = By any chance (usually for questions).
- Al azar = At random.
If you mix these up, people will still get the gist, but you’ll sound a bit "Tarzan-ish."
The Regional Divide: Spain vs. The Americas
In Spain, the language tends to stay more formal and "pure." You’ll hear oportunidad and posibilidad almost exclusively. They are less likely to adopt the English "chance."
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In the United States, "Spanglish" has created a whole new monster. You might hear people say chancita.
"Dame una chancita, porfa."
Give me a little chance, please.
The diminutive -ita softens the request. It makes it sound less like a demand and more like a favor between friends. This is massive in places like Los Angeles, Miami, and Houston.
Honestly, the regional differences are what make the language alive. A Chilean might use cueca to talk about luck or chance in very specific slang contexts, though that's getting into the deep weeds. For the most part, stick to the main hitters until you've spent enough time in one specific city to pick up the local "flavor."
Mistakes That Make You Sound Like a Robot
Don't say "tomar un chance."
Just don't.
It’s a direct translation of "take a chance," and it sounds clunky.
Instead, use:
- Aprovechar la oportunidad (Take advantage of the opportunity)
- Arriesgarse (To risk oneself/take a risk)
- Darle una oportunidad (Give it a chance)
If you tell a Spanish speaker, "Voy a tomar un chance," they’ll know what you mean, but it's like hearing someone say "I’m going to make a walk" instead of "I’m going to take a walk." It’s just... off.
Actionable Steps for Mastering the Word
If you're serious about figuring out how do you say chance in spanish in a way that sounds natural, stop trying to find one word. Start thinking about the intent of your sentence.
- If you're asking for a favor: Use "chancita" (LatAm) or "¿Me das un momento?"
- If you're talking about luck: Use "suerte" or "por azar."
- If you're asking "By any chance...": Start your sentence with "¿De casualidad...?"
- If you're discussing a "last chance": Stick to "la última oportunidad."
- If you're talking about random choice: Use "al azar" (like picking a card from a deck).
The best way to internalize this is to listen to contemporary Spanish media. Check out podcasts like "Radio Ambulante" (which features various Latin American accents) or watch movies from Spain like "Contratiempo" (The Invisible Guest). You’ll notice they rarely use the word "chance" unless they are specifically portraying a character from a region where Spanglish is common.
Instead of memorizing a list, try this: tomorrow, try to use casualidad in a sentence. Even if you're just talking to yourself. "Fue una casualidad que encontré mis llaves." (It was by chance that I found my keys.) Once you get comfortable with the nuances, you'll stop translating in your head and start speaking from the gut. Spanish is a language of feeling. Let the word choice reflect the vibe of the moment.