überraschen
to surprise
To give someone a (usually positive) treat or joy through something unexpected.
EXAMPLE
Er hat seine Frau zum Geburtstag mit einer Reise nach Paris überrascht.
He surprised his wife for her birthday with a trip to Paris.
überraschen
to surprise
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Meanings
überraschen
to catch by surprise
To happen unexpectedly or catch someone unprepared, often in a neutral or negative situation.
EXAMPLE
Der plötzliche Schneefall hat viele Autofahrer überrascht.
The sudden snowfall caught many drivers by surprise.
überraschen
to surprise
To cause astonishment or amazement in someone; to be unexpected.
EXAMPLE
Es überrascht mich, dass du schon fertig bist.
It surprises me that you're already finished.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
The verb 'überraschen' (to surprise) is inseparable. The prefix 'über-' remains firmly attached to the verb in all sentence forms and tenses.
EXAMPLE
Ich überrasche meine Familie gern mit einem Kuchen.
I like surprising my family with a cake.
Sentence structure with 'mit'
If you want to say what someone uses to bring joy or make a surprise, use the preposition 'mit' followed by the dative.
EXAMPLE
Sie hat ihn mit einem selbst gemalten Bild überrascht.
She surprised him with a picture she had painted herself.
Fixed structure
In the meaning 'to astonish,' the impersonal structure 'Es überrascht mich/dich/ihn, dass ...' (It surprises me/you/him that ...) is often used. This is a very common and useful formulation.
EXAMPLE
Es überrascht mich, dass das Restaurant heute so leer ist.
It surprises me that the restaurant is so empty today.
Context clue
In this neutral or negative meaning, the subject of the sentence is often an impersonal event, such as the weather, a piece of news, or a situation, and not a person acting actively.
EXAMPLE
Der frühe Wintereinbruch hat die Dorfbewohner überrascht.
The early onset of winter caught the villagers by surprise.
Compare with
überraschen vs wundern
to wonder / surprise
Both verbs relate to something unexpected and a reaction to it. „Überraschen“ emphasizes that an event causes surprise in someone. „Sich wundern“ describes the person's own surprise instead. Use „überraschen“ for the trigger and „sich wundern“ for the reaction.
überraschen
Die unerwartete Nachricht überraschte mich sehr.
The unexpected news surprised me greatly.
wundern
Ich wunderte mich sehr über die unerwartete Nachricht.
I was very surprised by the unexpected news.
In real life
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