verwundern
to surprise
To cause surprise or astonishment in someone.
EXAMPLE
Seine plötzliche Kündigung hat uns alle sehr verwundert.
His sudden resignation surprised us all very much.
verwundern
to surprise
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Meanings
sich verwundern
to be surprised
To be surprised or astonished about something.
EXAMPLE
Ich verwundere mich, dass er immer noch nicht hier ist.
I am surprised that he still isn't here.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Verwundern' (to surprise) is an inseparable verb that goes back to 'wundern' (to surprise / to wonder). The prefix 'ver-' always stays attached to the verb and is not separated. The verb often sounds somewhat more formal or written than 'wundern' (to surprise / to wonder).
EXAMPLE
Es verwundert mich nicht, dass er die Prüfung bestanden hat.
It doesn't surprise me that he passed the exam.
Active vs. reflexive
It is important to distinguish the active and reflexive forms. 'Etwas verwundert jemanden' (something surprises someone) means that something triggers surprise. 'Sich über etwas verwundern' (to be surprised about something) means that a person is surprised.
EXAMPLE
Sein Verhalten verwundert mich sehr.
His behavior surprises me very much.
Typical sentence structure
A very common construction is the impersonal sentence with 'es' (it). The structure is: 'Es verwundert [Person im Akkusativ], dass ...' (It surprises [person in the accusative] that ...). This expresses that a certain fact is surprising to someone.
EXAMPLE
Es verwundert mich, dass du das nicht wusstest.
It surprises me that you didn't know that.
Compare with
verwundern vs überraschen
to surprise
Both verbs work when unexpected news triggers a reaction. „Überraschen“ focuses more on the unexpected event or arrival. „Verwundern“ emphasizes the surprise or astonishment it causes. Use „überraschen“ when referring mainly to the event and „verwundern“ when referring mainly to its surprising effect.
verwundern
Die ungewöhnliche Nachricht über den Termin verwunderte mich am frühen Morgen.
The unusual news about the appointment surprised me early in the morning.
überraschen
Die Nachricht über den Termin überraschte mich am frühen Morgen.
The news about the appointment surprised me early in the morning.
In real life
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