How to Say "unforeseen" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “unforeseen” is “inesperado” — use 'inesperado' when something happens that was not anticipated, often with a sense of surprise or emotion, whether positive or negative.
inesperado
in-es-pe-RAH-dohinespeˈɾaðo
Examples
Su visita fue totalmente inesperada, ¡qué alegría!
His visit was totally unexpected, what a joy!
La tormenta inesperada arruinó nuestros planes de picnic.
The unexpected storm ruined our picnic plans.
Recibimos una llamada inesperada del hospital.
We received an unexpected call from the hospital.
Gender and Number Match
As an adjective, 'inesperado' must change its ending to match the noun it describes: 'un evento inesperado' (masculine singular), 'una llamada inesperada' (feminine singular), 'regalos inesperados' (masculine plural).
Forgetting the Gender Match
Mistake: “La sorpresa fue inesperado.”
Correction: La sorpresa fue inesperada. (Since 'sorpresa' is feminine, the adjective must end in -a.)
imprevisto
eem-pre-VEES-tohim.pɾe.ˈβis.to
Examples
Recibimos una visita imprevista de mis tíos.
We had an unexpected visit from my aunt and uncle.
Hubo un cambio imprevisto en el calendario.
There was an unexpected change in the calendar.
Su muerte fue totalmente imprevista.
His death was completely unforeseen.
Matching the Noun
Since this acts as a describer, it must change to match the thing it describes. Use 'imprevisto' for masculine things (un cambio) and 'imprevista' for feminine things (una visita).
Imprevisto vs. Inesperado
Related Translations
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