astonishment
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astonishment
The feeling of amazement or surprise about something unexpected or difficult to understand.
Zu meiner großen Verwunderung stand er plötzlich vor der Tür.
To my great astonishment, he suddenly stood at the door.
The noun 'Verwunderung' (astonishment) belongs to the verb 'sich verwundern' (to be astonished). Both words have their origin in the word 'das Wunder' (miracle/wonder). This connection helps you understand the meaning of amazement at something unexpected.
Es ist kein Wunder, dass er müde ist.
It's no wonder that he is tired.
A very common and useful expression is 'zu meiner/deiner/seiner Verwunderung' (to my/your/his astonishment). It introduces a sentence that describes what the surprising thing was.
Zu meiner Verwunderung war das Büro am Sonntagmorgen hell erleuchtet.
To my astonishment, the office was brightly lit on Sunday morning.
To state the reason for the astonishment, you use the preposition 'über' (about/at) with the accusative.
Die Verwunderung über seine plötzliche Kündigung war groß.
The astonishment at his sudden resignation was great.
'Verwunderung' (astonishment) is often combined with adjectives such as 'groß' (great), 'echt' (genuine), or 'kaum verborgen' (barely hidden). Typical verbs are 'Verwunderung auslösen' (to cause astonishment), 'hervorrufen' (to evoke), or 'zeigen' (to show).
Sein Verhalten löste bei allen Anwesenden große Verwunderung aus.
His behavior caused great astonishment among everyone present.
surprise
'die Überraschung' and 'die Verwunderung' can both describe a feeling of astonishment. 'Überraschung' is used when something happens suddenly or unexpectedly. The word can also mean the event or gift itself. 'Verwunderung' refers more strongly to inner questioning or astonishment because something is unusual or hard to understand. It sounds a bit calmer and often less colloquial than 'Überraschung'. Learners may confuse the words because both are reactions to something unexpected. When it is about a sudden situation, 'Überraschung' is more natural. When you emphasize that you find something strange, 'Verwunderung' fits better.
Am nächsten Morgen sorgt die geschlossene Werkstatt für Verwunderung.
The next morning, the closed workshop causes astonishment.
Bei dem Termin wartet eine kleine Überraschung auf Laura.
A small surprise is waiting for Laura at the appointment.