Opportunity in different languages

Opportunity in Different Languages

Discover 'Opportunity' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

Opportunity is a powerful word that represents a chance or prospect for something to happen or be done. It's a word that embodies hope, potential, and the possibility of success. The significance of opportunity cannot be overstated, as it is often the driving force behind personal and professional growth. Throughout history, seizing opportunities has led to some of the world's greatest discoveries, inventions, and achievements.

The concept of opportunity is also deeply ingrained in various cultures around the world. For example, in the United States, the

Opportunity


Opportunity in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansgeleentheid
The Dutch word "gelegenheid" can mean both "opportunity" and "toilet".
Amharicዕድል
The Amharic word ዕድል ('opportunity') also has a legal connotation as a 'trial' or 'process'.
Hausadamar
The word "damar" in Hausa also means "blood vessel" or "vein".
Igboohere
The Igbo word 'Ohere' also signifies 'expectation' and can be used to describe a state of positive anticipation.
Malagasyfahafahana
The word "fahafahana" also means "space" or "place" in Malagasy.
Nyanja (Chichewa)mwayi
Mwayi, meaning 'opportunity' in Nyanja, originates from the Bantu root '-way-' and signifies a chance for advancement or progress.
Shonamukana
The word "mukana" in Shona can also refer to a "chance" or a "turn" in a game or activity.
Somalifursad
The word "fursad" may also refer to a "meeting" or a "special time".
Sesothomonyetla
No information on etymology or alternate meanings for this word found
Swahilifursa
The word "fursa" is also used to mean "time" or "occasion" in Swahili.
Xhosaithuba
"Ithuba" also denotes a chance, and can refer to the chance of encountering a particular person or thing.
Yorubaanfani
In Yoruba, 'anfani' also means 'benefit' or 'advantage'.
Zuluithuba
The Zulu word 'ithuba' has additional meanings, including 'chance', 'opening', and 'luck'.
Bambarakunnandiya
Ewemɔnukpɔkpɔ
Kinyarwandaamahirwe
Lingalalibaku
Lugandaomukisa
Sepedisebaka
Twi (Akan)akwannya

Opportunity in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicفرصة
The Arabic word "فرصة" can also refer to a "chance" or an "occasion."
Hebrewהִזדַמְנוּת
The Hebrew word "הִזדַמְנוּת" derives from the Arabic word "زمن" (zaman), meaning "time".
Pashtoفرصت
The word "فرصت" is derived from the Arabic word "فرص" meaning "ability to do something".
Arabicفرصة
The Arabic word "فرصة" can also refer to a "chance" or an "occasion."

Opportunity in Western European Languages

Albanianmundësi
"Mundësi" derives from the Latin word "mundus," meaning "world," and implies a chance to enter a new realm of possibilities.
Basqueaukera
The Basque word "aukera" also means "choice" or "ability".
Catalanoportunitat
The word "oportunitat" comes from the Latin word "opportunitas", which means "a suitable time or place".
Croatianprilika
The Croatian word “prilika” can also mean “story” or “example”.
Danishlejlighed
The word "lejlighed" in Danish comes from the Old Norse word "lægi", meaning "suitable place" or "occasion".
Dutchkans
"Kans" originates from Old Frisian "kansse" (chance), which also can have a meaning of "fate"
Englishopportunity
The word "opportunity" derives from Latin "ob" and "portus" and means "in the harbor" or "favorable time".
Frenchopportunité
The word "opportunité" in French comes from the Latin word "opportunus," which means "seasonable" or "suitable."
Frisiangelegenheid
The Frisian word "gelegenheid" is also used to refer to a party or social event.
Galicianoportunidade
Galician "oportunidade" shares the etymology of Spanish "oportunidad" and French "opportunité", but has an additional meaning of "a suitable moment".
Germangelegenheit
"Gelegenheit" is etymologically related to the German verb "gelegen," meaning "to lie down," suggesting an occasion that presents itself or a chance that is within reach.
Icelandictækifæri
The word "tækifæri" derives from the Old Norse words "taka" (to take) and "fœri" (chance), and also carries the connotation of "a good time to act."
Irishdeis
The word "deis" can also refer to a "lack of" or "absence of" something.
Italianopportunità
In Spanish, the word "oportunidad" means both "opportunity" and "convenience."
Luxembourgishméiglechkeet
Malteseopportunità
The word "opportunità" is derived from the Latin "opportunitas", meaning "favorable moment" or "suitable occasion."
Norwegianmulighet
The word "mulighet" is derived from the Old Norse word "mǫguligr," meaning "possible" or "capable."
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)oportunidade
The word "oportunidade" is derived from the Latin "opportunitas," meaning "convenient time" or "favorable occasion."
Scots Gaeliccothrom
In Irish, Welsh, and Breton "cothrom" is used as a legal term for "summons" or "suit" as well.
Spanishoportunidad
In Spanish, the word "oportunidad" can also mean "appropriateness" or "right time to do something."
Swedishmöjlighet
"Möjlighet" comes from "möjlig" meaning "possible" and its root "makt" meaning "might" or "ability".
Welshcyfle
The Welsh word 'cyfle' derives from the Latin 'copula', meaning 'link' or 'bond'.

Opportunity in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianмагчымасць
Bosnianpriliku
The verb for "arrive "in Serbo-Croatian derives from the same Slavic root as "opportunity ", signifying the opportunity to arrive for the one who "deserves the opportunity "
Bulgarianвъзможност
The word "възможност" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word *vozmоgъ, which also means "ability".
Czechpříležitost
The word "příležitost" is derived from the Old Czech word "přílež" meaning "time, occasion". It can also mean "chance", "luck", or "incident".
Estonianvõimalus
"Võimalus" also means "ability" and is cognate with Finnish "võimaluus", which has the same double meaning.
Finnishtilaisuus
The word "tilaisuus" also refers to a "situation" or "occasion" in Finnish.
Hungarianlehetőség
The word lehetőség is derived from the Hungarian word lehet, which means "to have the ability".
Latvianiespēju
"Iespēja" derives from the verb "iest" — to enter, go in, or introduce something into a particular place or situation.
Lithuaniangalimybė
"Galimybė" is derived from "galėti" (to be able) and denotes an ability or capacity, or an available choice or occasion; synonyms include "šansas" and "proga".
Macedonianможност
Macedonian "Можност" can also refer to "capacity" and derives from the Proto-Slavic "*mogti" meaning "to be able."
Polishokazja
The word "okazja" is derived from the Latin word "occasio", meaning "a favorable time or opportunity."
Romanianoportunitate
"Oportunitate" in Romanian comes from the French "opportunité," itself from Latin "opportunus" ("fitting" or "appropriate")
Russianвозможность
Russian "возможность" stems from "возможно," meaning "possible" or "feasible."
Serbianприлика
The word "прилика" can also refer to "a suitable time" or "a similarity" in Serbian.
Slovakpríležitosť
The word "príležitosť" is derived from the Old Slavic word "priležiti", meaning "to lie near" or "to be present at the right time".
Slovenianpriložnost
The Slovene word 'priložnost' comes from the verb 'priložiti', 'to put to use' which is derived from 'ložiti' 'to lay' and means 'a chance or situation allowing you to do something' (Oxford Dictionary of English).
Ukrainianможливість
The word "можливість" in Ukrainian is derived from the Slavic root "mogti,

Opportunity in South Asian Languages

Bengaliসুযোগ
The Bengali word "সুযোগ" originated from the Sanskrit term "svayoga", meaning "coming together" or "union of favorable conditions."
Gujaratiતક
The word "તક" also means "a place" or "a spot" in Gujarati.
Hindiअवसर
The word "अवसर" also means a "meeting" or a "conference" in Hindi.
Kannadaಅವಕಾಶ
The word "ಅವಕಾಶ" can also mean "space" or "scope".
Malayalamഅവസരം
The word "അവസരം" (avasaram) in Malayalam comes from the Sanskrit word "ava-srj", meaning "to let go" or "to release."
Marathiसंधी
The word "संधी" also means "junction" or "gap" in Marathi, suggesting that opportunities arise at junctions or in gaps in time or knowledge.
Nepaliअवसर
The word 'अवसर' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'स' meaning 'together' and 'वर' meaning 'choice', thus literally translating to 'a choice together'.
Punjabiਮੌਕਾ
The Punjabi word 'ਮੌਕਾ' (moka) also refers to 'a turn' or 'a chance,' emphasizing its connection to timing and occasion.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)අවස්ථාවක්
Tamilவாய்ப்பு
The term
Teluguఅవకాశం
అవకాశం originates from Sanskrit 'avakāśam' and 'avakāśā' meaning 'leisure', 'opportunity', 'spare time'.
Urduموقع
The term 'موقع' (opportunity) in Urdu comes from the Arabic root 'و ق ع', meaning 'to befall', 'to happen'.

Opportunity in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)机会
The word “机会” was originally used to refer to the chance of winning a bet.
Chinese (Traditional)機會
The term 機會 (opportunity) was coined by a Chinese philosopher Zhu Xi during the Song Dynasty (960-1279), who adapted a Buddhist concept of 因緣 (dependent origination) and combined it with the Confucian concept of 務實 (practicality).
Japanese機会
"機会" also means "a machine" or "a good chance."
Korean기회
The word '기회' in Korean originally meant 'a favorable moment', but now it has expanded to mean 'a good chance' or 'an opportunity'.
Mongolianболомж
The Mongolian word "боломж" derives from the verb "болох" which means "to become". It can also refer to a chance or possibility.
Myanmar (Burmese)အခွင့်အလမ်း

Opportunity in South East Asian Languages

Indonesiankesempatan
The word 'kesempatan' ('opportunity') has roots in an Arabic word meaning 'space' or 'room,' and the root also gives rise to the word 'kosong' ('empty').
Javanesekesempatan
The Javanese word 'kesempatan' can also mean 'chance' or 'possibility'.
Khmerឱកាស
The word "ឱកាស" is derived from the Sanskrit word "avasara" meaning both "opportunity" and "obstacle".
Laoໂອກາດ
The word "ໂອກາດ" can also refer to a "chance" or a "possibility"
Malaypeluang
In Javanese, 'peluang' means 'chance', 'fortune' or 'luck'.
Thaiโอกาส
โอกาส comes from Sanskrit and is etymologically related to “open” and “space” and literally means “a place, a space”.
Vietnamesedịp tốt
The word "dịp tốt" in Vietnamese also means "good time" or "favorable time."
Filipino (Tagalog)pagkakataon

Opportunity in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanifürsət
Fürsət also means "leisure" in Azerbaijani, originating from the Arabic word "al-fursah" with the same meaning.
Kazakhмүмкіндік
The word "мүмкіндік" (''opportunity'') is derived from the Turkish word "mümkün" (''possible''), which in turn originates from the Arabic word "makaan" (''place'').
Kyrgyzмүмкүнчүлүк
Tajikимконият
The word "имконият" in Tajik can also mean "ability" or "possibility"
Turkmenmümkinçilik
Uzbekimkoniyat
The word "imkoniyat" (opportunity) in Uzbek is derived from Arabic and means "potential" or "possibility."
Uyghurپۇرسەت

Opportunity in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianmanawa kūpono
The Hawaiian word "manawa kūpono" also means "the right time" or "proper moment".
Maorifaingamālie
The word "faingamālie" also refers to the time or place where an opportunity presents itself.
Samoanavanoa
The word "avanoa" in Samoan can also mean "chance" or "possibility"
Tagalog (Filipino)pagkakataon
"Pagkakataon" is derived from the root word "taon" which means "year". It connotes a limited or specific time frame, hence its meaning as "opportunity".

Opportunity in American Indigenous Languages

Aymarautjirinaka
Guaranijuruja

Opportunity in International Languages

Esperantookazo
The word 'okazo' is derived from the Latin 'occasio', meaning 'chance encounter'.
Latinpotestatem
Potestatem (meaning "opportunity") also refers to "ability," "power," "authority," "dominion," or "rule."

Opportunity in Others Languages

Greekευκαιρία
The word "ευκαιρία" in Greek originally meant "the right time or place", and it still carries this meaning in some contexts.
Hmongsijhawm
The Hmong word "sijhawm" also means "chance" and "probability".
Kurdishfersend
The Kurdish word "fersend" is derived from the Arabic word "fursah", meaning "occasion" or "chance."
Turkishfırsat
"Fırsat" is cognate to the Arabic word "firṣah," which means "empty space, occasion, opportunity."
Xhosaithuba
"Ithuba" also denotes a chance, and can refer to the chance of encountering a particular person or thing.
Yiddishגעלעגנהייט
געלעגנהייט can have the additional meanings "a suitable occasion" and "coincidence".
Zuluithuba
The Zulu word 'ithuba' has additional meanings, including 'chance', 'opening', and 'luck'.
Assameseসুযোগ
Aymarautjirinaka
Bhojpuriमौका
Dhivehiފުރުޞަތު
Dogriमौका
Filipino (Tagalog)pagkakataon
Guaranijuruja
Ilocanooportunidad
Kriochans
Kurdish (Sorani)دەرفەرت
Maithiliअवसर
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯈꯨꯗꯣꯡꯆꯥꯕ
Mizohuntha
Oromocarraa
Odia (Oriya)ସୁଯୋଗ |
Quechuaoportunidad
Sanskritअवसरः
Tatarмөмкинлек
Tigrinyaዕድል
Tsongankateko

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