A brightly colored storybook illustration showing a large six-sided die frozen mid-roll in the air just before landing, symbolizing chance.

azar

ah-SAHR/ or /ah-THAR

nounmB1

chance?unpredictable outcome,luck?fate or destiny

Also:randomness?lack of pattern,hazard?risk (less common translation)

📝 In Action

La lotería depende del puro azar.

The lottery depends on pure chance.

Encontré mi viejo libro por azar en la librería.

I found my old book by chance in the bookstore.

Elegimos el ganador al azar de entre todos los participantes.

We chose the winner at random from all the participants.

Word Connections

Synonyms

suerte (luck)
casualidad (coincidence)
destino (fate, destiny)

Antonyms

habilidad (skill)
planificación (planning)

Common Collocations

al azar – at random
por azar – by chance
juegos de azar – games of chance (gambling)

Idioms & Expressions

dejar algo al azar – to leave something to chance

💡 Grammar Points

Always Masculine

Even though it ends in 'r', 'azar' is always a masculine noun, meaning you must use the article 'el' (el azar).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing 'al azar' and 'por azar'

Mistake: "Using 'por azar' when describing the method of selection."

Correction: Use 'al azar' (at random) to describe the *way* something is chosen (e.g., 'Lo elegí al azar'). Use 'por azar' (by chance) to describe *why* something happened (e.g., 'Nos encontramos por azar').

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'Puro Azar'

To emphasize that something was completely random and not planned, you can use the phrase 'puro azar' (pure chance).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: azar

Question 1 of 2

Which phrase correctly means 'We chose the color at random'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

azaroso(hazardous, risky) - adjective

arriesgar(to risk, to venture) - verb

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'azar' positive or negative?

'Azar' is neutral. It simply describes something unpredictable. It can lead to good things ('buena suerte' or 'buen azar') or bad things ('mala suerte').

How is 'azar' different from 'suerte'?

'Azar' is the abstract concept of randomness or chance itself. 'Suerte' is the outcome of that chance, usually translated as 'luck' (good or bad). Think of 'azar' as the force and 'suerte' as the result.