extrañar
/eks-trah-NYAR/
to miss
The most common meaning of extrañar is 'to miss' someone or something absent.
extrañar(verb)
to miss
?to feel longing for someone/something absent
to long for
?deep emotional absence
📝 In Action
Extraño mucho a mis padres cuando viajo.
A1I miss my parents a lot when I travel.
¿Extrañas la comida de tu país?
A2Do you miss the food from your country?
Ellos extrañaron la vieja casa de la abuela.
A2They missed Grandma's old house.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'a' with people
When you miss a specific person, you must use the word 'a' right before their name or title: 'Extraño a mi hermana' (I miss my sister).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Don't confuse 'extrañar' with 'perder'
Mistake: "Perdí el tren, lo extraño. (I missed the train, I miss it.)"
Correction: Perdí el tren. (I missed the train.) Use 'perder' for missing an event, opportunity, or transport, not 'extrañar'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Direct Verb Usage
Unlike the verb 'gustar' (to like), 'extrañar' works just like the English 'to miss.' The person feeling the emotion is the subject: 'Yo extraño' (I miss).
Extrañar can also mean 'to surprise' or cause astonishment.
extrañar(verb)
to surprise
?to cause astonishment
to find strange
?to consider something unusual
,to be surprised (reflexive: extrañarse)
?to feel astonishment
📝 In Action
Me extraña que no haya llamado. Siempre es puntual.
B1It surprises me that he hasn't called. He is always punctual.
No te extrañes si la tienda está cerrada. Hoy es feriado.
B1Don't be surprised if the store is closed. Today is a holiday. (Reflexive usage)
Extrañamos su repentina decisión de mudarse a otro país.
C1We found his sudden decision to move to another country strange.
💡 Grammar Points
The Reflexive Form
Use 'extrañarse' (e.g., 'me extraña,' 'te extrañas') when you want to express that you are surprised or astonished by something.
Special Verb Form Needed
When 'extrañar' expresses surprise about a different person's action (e.g., 'Me extraña que [he] called'), the second verb often needs the special verb form (subjunctive): 'Me extraña que llame.'
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong preposition
Mistake: "Me extrañé por la noticia."
Correction: Me extrañé *de* la noticia. (I was surprised *by* the news.) The verb usually pairs with 'de' when expressing the source of surprise.
⭐ Usage Tips
Impersonal Phrases
A very common phrase is 'No es de extrañar que...' which means 'It's not surprising that...' or 'It's to be expected that...'
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: extrañar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'extrañar' to mean 'to miss'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'extrañar' and 'echar de menos'?
'Extrañar' and 'echar de menos' mean exactly the same thing ('to miss/to long for'). 'Echar de menos' is a common idiomatic phrase, while 'extrañar' is a single verb. Both are used frequently across the Spanish-speaking world.
How do I know if 'extrañar' means 'to miss' or 'to surprise'?
Context is key! If the sentence is about longing for someone or something, it means 'to miss.' If it is used reflexively ('me extraña,' 'te extrañas') or refers to finding a situation unusual, it means 'to surprise' or 'to find strange.' The 'to miss' meaning is far more common for A1/A2 learners.