A small child with wide eyes and hands covering their mouth, showing a look of astonishment while sitting next to a large, open, brightly colored gift box.

sorpresa

/sor-PREH-sah/

NounfA2

surprise?an unexpected event or the feeling it causes

Also:shock?a strong, often negative surprise,astonishment?a feeling of great surprise

📝 In Action

¡Qué sorpresa verte aquí!

What a surprise to see you here!

Mi familia me organizó una fiesta sorpresa por mi cumpleaños.

My family organized a surprise party for my birthday.

La noticia fue una gran sorpresa para todos.

The news was a big surprise for everyone.

Para mi sorpresa, el examen fue muy fácil.

To my surprise, the exam was very easy.

Word Connections

Synonyms

asombro (amazement)
admiración (admiration/wonder)
susto (fright/scare)

Antonyms

expectativa (expectation)
previsión (forecast/prediction)

Common Collocations

dar una sorpresa – to give a surprise
llevarse una sorpresa – to get a surprise
fiesta sorpresa – surprise party
¡Vaya sorpresa! – What a surprise!

Idioms & Expressions

caja de sorpresas – Something or someone full of unexpected things.
de sorpresa – By surprise, unexpectedly.

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'de' and 'para' with Sorpresa

To say 'to my surprise', use 'para mi sorpresa'. To talk about something happening 'by surprise', use 'de sorpresa'. For example, 'Llegaron de sorpresa' means 'They arrived by surprise'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

It's a Feminine Word

Mistake: "El sorpresa fue grande."

Correction: La sorpresa fue grande. Remember that 'sorpresa' ends in '-a' and is a feminine word, so any words describing it (like 'la' or 'grande') must also be in their feminine form.

⭐ Usage Tips

Expressing Surprise

You can use '¡Qué sorpresa!' on its own as an exclamation, just like 'What a surprise!' in English. It's a very common and natural way to react to something unexpected.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: sorpresa

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence means 'They arrived unexpectedly'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

sorprender(to surprise) - verb

sorprendente(surprising) - adjective

sorprendido/a(surprised) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'sorpresa' and 'susto'?

'Sorpresa' is usually neutral or positive, like for a birthday party or good news. 'Susto' is always negative and means a scare, fright, or shock, like when something suddenly jumps out at you.