How do you say Opportunity in German?

Sometimes, the right moment just opens up - an internship, a date, a once-in-a-lifetime deal. In German, that’s a Gelegenheit. It’s the word for opportunity, chance, and occasion - whether you’re seizing it or missing it.

The noun Gelegenheit means opportunity, chance, or occasion, and it’s one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German. It shows up in everyday speech, professional contexts, and polite invitations alike.

It’s a feminine noun, so we say die Gelegenheit.

Pronunciation

Gelegenheit is pronounced [guh-LAY-gen-hite].

• The first syllable “Ge-” is soft, like “guh.”
• The “-legen-” part has a long “ay” sound like in “say.”
• The final “-heit” rhymes with “height.”

Example sentences:

• Ich hatte nie die Gelegenheit, ihn zu fragen.I never had the opportunity to ask him.
• Das ist die perfekte Gelegenheit für ein Gespräch.This is the perfect opportunity for a conversation.

Nuance and usage tips

Gelegenheit can describe:

• A specific moment or occasion:Bei der nächsten Gelegenheit sprechen wir darüber. - “We’ll talk about it at the next opportunity.”
• A chance to do something:eine Gelegenheit nutzen - to seize an opportunityeine Gelegenheit verpassen - to miss a chance
  Gelegenheit macht Diebe. - Opportunity makes the thief.
• A polite way to say “sometime”:Bei Gelegenheit rufe ich dich an. - “I’ll call you when I get a chance.”

It’s not used for gambling-style “chances” (that would be Chance or Zufall) - Gelegenheit implies a context or situation, often one you can act on.