extrañar
“extrañar” means “to miss” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to missAlso: to long for
📝 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.
Word Connections
to surpriseAlso: to find strange, to be surprised (reflexive: extrañarse)
📝 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.
Word Connections
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Imperfect
Present
Preterite
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "extrañar" in Spanish:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: extrañar
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses 'extrañar' to mean 'to miss'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
The word comes from the Latin *extraneus*, meaning 'external' or 'foreign.' This original meaning is why 'extrañar' developed two related senses: feeling something is 'foreign' or absent (to miss), and finding something 'foreign' or unusual (to be surprised).
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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.