Inklingo

How to Say "by chance" in Spanish

English → Spanish

accidentalmente

ahk-see-den-tal-MEN-teh/ak.si.ðenˈtal.men.te/

adverbA2general
Use this when you want to express that something happened unintentionally or by mistake, similar to 'accidentally' in English.
A surprised child watches as a glass of white milk tips over and begins to spill onto a wooden table, illustrating an unintentional mistake.

Examples

Ella accidentalmente borró todos los archivos de su computadora.

She accidentally deleted all the files on her computer.

Si tocas este botón accidentalmente, la alarma se disparará.

If you accidentally touch this button, the alarm will go off.

Nos encontramos accidentalmente en el supermercado después de años.

We ran into each other accidentally (by chance) at the supermarket after years.

The '-mente' Rule

In Spanish, words ending in '-mente' are usually adverbs (like English words ending in '-ly'). They are formed by taking the feminine form of an adjective (like 'accidental') and adding '-mente'.

Adverb Placement

Mistake: “Puse accidentalmente el libro en la mesa.”

Correction: Accidentalmente puse el libro en la mesa. (Correction: While the adverb can sometimes be placed mid-sentence, placing it before the verb or at the beginning of the sentence often sounds more natural in Spanish.)

rebote

/re-BOH-teh//reˈβote/

nounB1informal
Use this to describe a situation where something was achieved indirectly or as a secondary consequence, often implying luck or an unexpected turn of events.
A soccer ball hitting a tree trunk and rolling directly into a small goal.

Examples

Conseguí este trabajo de rebote.

I got this job by chance/indirectly.

Me enteré de la noticia de rebote.

I found out about the news through the grapevine/indirectly.

Debes tener cuidado con el efecto rebote de esa dieta.

You should be careful with the rebound effect of that diet.

The preposition 'de'

To say 'indirectly' or 'by chance,' you almost always use the phrase 'de rebote'.

Literal translation

Mistake: “Saying 'por rebote'.”

Correction: Say 'de rebote' when you mean something happened as a side-effect or by chance.

Adverb vs. Noun for "By Chance"

Learners often confuse 'accidentalmente' and 'de rebote' because both relate to unintentional outcomes. Remember that 'accidentalmente' is an adverb modifying an action (like 'accidentally'), while 'de rebote' is a phrase describing how something came about indirectly or luckily.

Related Translations

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