Oportunos

Oportunos is the masculine plural form of the Spanish adjective oportuno, which describes something timely, suitable, or advantageous given a particular situation. It can refer to moments, actions, decisions, or conditions that are appropriate or advantageous at a specific time. The feminine forms are oportuna (singular) and oportunas (plural); the singular masculine form is oportuno.

Etymology and meaning. The term comes from Latin opportunus, meaning favorable or convenient. In modern Spanish, opportune or oportuno is used to express that timing, circumstances, or conditions align well with a goal or need. The word is commonly applied to practical contexts such as planning, scheduling, or decision-making, and it conveys a neutral or positive assessment of timing.

Usage. Oportunos is frequently used in phrases like días oportuns? and momentos oportunos, though the more common collocation is momentos oportunos. It also appears in expressions such as una decisión oportuna or una solución oportuna, indicating that the choice or remedy fits the moment. While generally neutral or positive, context can influence nuance; the related noun oportunismo describes a broader habit of acting to seize favorable situations, which carries a more pejorative or critical connotation.

Relation to related terms. Oportunidad denotes the opportunity itself, while oportuno describes the suitability or desirability of acting at a given time. Antonyms include inoportuno or inoportuna, meaning untimely or inconvenient. The word is used across Spanish-speaking regions and parallels similar terms in other Romance languages.