Discussion about "azar"

Question

Espero que se encuentren bien. Soy hablante nativo de inglés, y no siento como entiendo bien como se usa la palabra "azar." El dicionario nota que puede ser "chance," "fate", or "bad luck", pero no se si lo entiendo bien.

Tiene sentido decir que una persona tiene azar (como "unlucky")?

También, tiene sentido decir que una persona tiene mala suerte? O sería este "azar," porque "suerte" es positiva.

Gracias, Estudiante

Answer 1

Estudiante:

Azar is related to luck but not in the way that you are thinking. In fact azar can sometimes be translated as luck in English. More often is it translated as chance, fate or randomness.

Betting on flipping coins for head or tails is purely a game of chance. (or game of luck) = juego de azar.

The outcome is totally random. There is no skill involved in playing the game.

A slightly longer way of saying the same thing:

The winner of the game is just the person with good luck, while the loser has bad luck.

The winner of the game is just lucky and the loser is unlucky.

Good luck in Spanish is "buena suerte" often just shortened to ¡Suerte! = Good luck!

Bad luck is "mala suerte." So, no, azar does not mean "bad luck" it just means chance, randomness, fate, or luck (but not in the sense of good or bad luck)

To get any even greater feel for the meaning of "azar" you can click on the example tab in the SD Dictionary and see dozens of sentences, usually translating "azar" as chance = randomness / fate / unpredictability in English. Gambling is often often translated in Spanish as "juegos de azar" We also use this term in English. Games of chance.

very nice answer...:) - 006595c6, Jul 27, 2017

malA suerte......very nice indeed - patch, Jul 27, 2017

Thanks Patch, I fixed the buena suerte (I had buen suerte) but missed the other one. - DilKen, Jul 27, 2017

Thank you DilKen, you have such clear and helpful answers! You should do a blog on learning Spanish honestly :) - Estudiante77, Jul 31, 2017

Thank you Estudiante. Re the blog...I sort of do that here. The advantage of doing it here is that sometimes I am wrong about something and some of the other members point it out and I can learn from them :) - DilKen, Jul 31, 2017

Here I am not afraid to say something that might not be true. I just say what I think and then if I'm wrong I learn from my mistakes. And sometimes, the more embarrassing the mistake, the faster I learn. :) - DilKen, Jul 31, 2017

Answer 2

What DilKen said: al azar - random(ly).

jejeje - rac1, Jul 27, 2017

eso, corto y preciso, jejeej - 006595c6, Jul 27, 2017

Answer 3

No, una persona no tiene azar. Una persona tiene suerte o buena suerte.

Ejemplos de azar:

La lotería es un juego de azar. Cuando hacemos un sorteo , el azar dicta quien es el vencedor.
Si en un programa de TV me vendan los ojos (blindfold) y debo elegir un papel entre miles de papelitos es algo hecho al azar.
Yo no creo que el azar determinará mi futuro. Yo lo determinaré con mi esfuerzo y voluntad.

Azar could be a little like something "at random". La mala suerte existe. El mal azar no existe.

Answer 4

Y a eso de azar quiero plantear un adjetivo relacionado: “azaroso”.

Eso de caminar de puntillas sobre una cuerda suspendida entre dos torres a cien metros del suelo es una proeza azarosa.

Walking on tip-toes on a cord suspended between two towers a hundred meters above the ground is a risky stunt.”