Skip to content

oportunismo

opportunism

noun oh-pohr-too-NEES-moh Rare

Usage Note

Oportunismo denotes the practice of exploiting circumstances for personal advantage without regard for principle. It is almost always pejorative in Spanish. The related adjective is oportunista, which doubles as a noun: es un oportunista ('he is an opportunist'). Do not confuse with oportunidad ('opportunity'), which is neutral or positive.

Examples

"El oportunismo del partido fue criticado por todos."

Natural Translation

The party's opportunism was criticised by everyone.

Free starter pack

Building your Spanish vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common Spanish words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore Spanish by topic