noun

la suerte

luck · lucky

Es cuando algo bueno o malo pasa sin poder controlarlo, como por casualidad.

Definition & meaning

Suerte is a feminine Spanish noun with several related meanings:

Luck or good fortune
It describes favorable or unfavorable circumstances that seem to happen by chance.
- Tengo suerte means “I am lucky.”
- ¡Buena suerte! means “Good luck!”
  It can also refer to bad luck: mala suerte .
Chance or fate
Suerte can refer to the force or circumstances believed to determine what happens to someone.
- La suerte decidió el resultado means “Luck decided the outcome.”
A kind or type of thing
In the expression una suerte de , it means “a kind of” or “a sort of.”
- Una suerte de mezcla means “a kind of mixture.”
A portion, lot, or assigned share
In some contexts, especially formal, historical, or regional ones, suerte can mean an assigned portion of land, property, or something distributed by lot.
A maneuver or stage in bullfighting
In bullfighting terminology, suerte can refer to a particular maneuver, technique, or part of the performance.

Grammar & Word origin

Part of speech: feminine noun
Gender: la suerte
Plural: las suertes
Pronunciation: approximately “SWEHR-teh”

The word comes from Latin sors, sortis, meaning “lot,” “fate,” or “share.” Its meanings developed from the idea of receiving something by lot or chance.

Although it is usually a noun, suerte also appears in fixed expressions and exclamations such as ¡Suerte! , meaning “Good luck!”

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

fortuna — “fortune” or “luck.” It is close to suerte, but it can sound more formal and can also mean wealth.
azar — “chance” or “randomness.” Unlike suerte, it focuses on unpredictability rather than whether the result is favorable.
destino — “fate” or “destiny.” It suggests a predetermined course, whereas suerte often implies chance.
ventaja — “advantage.” This refers to a beneficial position, not necessarily to luck.

Antonyms

desgracia — “misfortune” or “disaster”; it is the clearest antonym when suerte means good luck.
infortunio — “misfortune” or “adversity”; it is more formal than desgracia.
mala suerte — “bad luck,” the direct opposite of buena suerte .