Spanish word

sorprender

Pronunciation

IPA/soɾpɾenˈdeɾ/

Meaning

  • verbsurprise

Example

La noticia me sorprendió mucho.

The news surprised me a lot.

Illustration for sorprender (surprise)

More examples

El ladrón fue sorprendido por la policía.

The thief was caught by the police.

Core concept

A person with eyes wide and mouth open from astonishment.

Common phrases

  • sorprender a alguien

    surprise someone

  • sorprender con una noticia

    surprise with a piece of news

Similar words

asombrar: Inspire strong wonder or admiration, producing an awed reaction.
impresionar: Leave a strong, lasting impression after a striking or notable event.
aturdir: Overwhelm the mind with sudden shock, causing confusion and temporary inability to act.
desconcertar: Cause puzzlement or embarrassment that leaves someone unsure how to respond.

Definition in Spanish

Causar asombro en alguien; en forma pronominal, experimentar sorpresa.

Word origin

From Latin super- + prehendere 'to seize', adopted into Old French surprendre and into Spanish as sorprender, carrying the image of being taken unawares.

Usage tips

  • Sorprender often appears in contexts like sorprender a alguien haciendo algo, where it means finding someone in the act rather than merely 'remarking on' them.

Other meanings

  • be surprisedverb
  • catchverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word