whitch do I use better chance or opportunity?

Question

I told a Japanese girl who is good at English.

I sad "I have not had any opportunity to speak English."

But she said "You can use 'chance' Insted of 'opportunity.'" (She said in Japanese...)

What is different those words?

Answer 1

Chance can mean a few things.
Oppurtunity on the other hand, only has one meaning. A time frame in which you have the ablitly to do something (sorry, I'm not webster).

Chance however can mean that, or to chance something, you're taking a risk. It's a double-meaniong word.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Basically, in this context, both words are correct. In everyday language we would probably say "chance" because it is a simpler word to say in a sentence. Opportunity may be used in a conversation where you wanted to speak more formally. For example: My mother would probably use "opportunity" because she uses a formal type of speech (it is just the way she was taught in those days) whereas I would use "Chance" because I talk mainly with teenagers and they use the less formal words. Hope this clears it up for you.

Answer 3

In my ears chance sounds more like a "lottery" word.
Opportunity means a possibility, a thing you have had the fortune to get or possibilities you can choose from.

Hope I could express myself so that you understand what I mean.

Quite an interesting question.