extraña
/ess-TRAH-nyah/
strange
Depicting something odd or unusual, illustrating 'strange'.
extraña(Adjective)
strange
?odd, unusual
,weird
?peculiar
foreign
?unfamiliar or external
,odd
?quirky
📝 In Action
Esa luz azul es muy extraña. ¿Qué será?
A2That blue light is very strange. What could it be?
Tiene una habilidad extraña para hablar al revés.
B1She has a peculiar ability to speak backwards.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Match
Since 'extraña' is describing a feminine person or thing, it ends in '-a' to match the word it describes. If it were masculine (like 'el perro'), you would use 'extraño'.
Illustrating the feeling of longing when someone 'misses' another person.
extraña(Verb)
misses
?3rd person singular present tense (e.g., 'She misses')
you miss
?Formal command (Usted form)
📝 In Action
Mi hermana extraña mucho a su perro.
A2My sister really misses her dog.
El presidente ya no extraña la vida de la ciudad.
B1The president no longer misses city life.
Usted, por favor, extraña los días soleados.
B2You (formal), please miss the sunny days (e.g., focus on them). (Formal command - less common usage)
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Extrañar'
Unlike the verb 'gustar' (to like), 'extrañar' works like regular verbs: the subject (who feels the emotion) performs the action. For example, 'Ella extraña...' (She misses...).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Extrañar' and 'Echar de Menos'
Mistake: "I miss you is sometimes translated word-for-word as 'Yo extrañas tú' or 'Te echo de menos' is forgotten."
Correction: The most common expression for 'I miss you' is 'Te extraño' or 'Te echo de menos.' Remember 'Te' is the object (the person missed).
Showing a reaction of finding something peculiar or 'strange'.
extraña(Verb)
finds strange
?3rd person singular present tense (e.g., 'He/She finds it strange')
,is surprised by
?To express astonishment
is astonished
?Used impersonally with 'me', 'te', 'le', etc.
📝 In Action
A nadie le extraña que haya renunciado después de eso.
B1Nobody finds it strange that he resigned after that.
Me extraña que no esté lloviendo hoy.
B2I find it surprising/strange that it's not raining today. (Literally: 'It surprises me that...').
💡 Grammar Points
Surprise = Subjunctive
When you use 'extraña' to mean finding something surprising (e.g., 'Me extraña que...'), the verb in the second part of the sentence must be in the special 'wish/doubt' form (subjunctive). Notice how 'no esté lloviendo' uses 'esté' instead of 'está'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Object Pronoun
Mistake: "Saying 'Extraña que no llueva' (It finds strange that it doesn't rain), forgetting to specify *who* is surprised."
Correction: You must include the person who is surprised: 'Me extraña que no llueva' (It surprises *me* that it doesn't rain).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: extraña
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'extraña' in its meaning of 'to find surprising'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the key difference between the verb and the adjective 'extraña'?
The adjective 'extraña' describes something feminine as strange or unusual ('the house is strange'). The verb 'extraña' refers to the action of missing someone or something ('she misses her friend') or being surprised by something ('it surprises me').
Does 'extraña' require the special 'subjunctive' verb form after it?
Yes, when 'extraña' is used impersonally to express surprise or astonishment (like 'Me extraña que...'), the verb that follows must be in the special 'wish/doubt' form.