Surprise in different languages

Surprise in Different Languages

Discover 'Surprise' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.

Updated on March 6, 2024

The word 'surprise' holds a special place in our hearts and languages, capturing the essence of the unexpected and the joy of discovery. Its significance extends beyond mere language, as it represents a universal human experience that transcends cultural boundaries. From a sudden gift on a special occasion to an unforeseen twist in a story, surprises have the power to bring excitement, delight, and even confusion to our lives.

Throughout history, surprises have played a crucial role in various cultural contexts. In literature, plot twists and unexpected revelations keep readers on the edge of their seats. In gaming, surprises add an element of unpredictability, enhancing the overall experience. Surprises can also be found in nature, as when a rare phenomenon occurs or when we stumble upon a hidden gem in our travels.

Given its importance and cultural significance, you might be interested in learning how to say 'surprise' in different languages. Here are a few examples to get you started:

  • French: surprise
  • Spanish: sorpresa
  • German: Überraschung
  • Italian: sorpresa
  • Japanese: 驚き (odoroki)

Surprise


Surprise in Sub-Saharan African Languages

Afrikaansverras
"Verras" is derived from the Dutch word "verrassen", meaning "to surprise" or "to overtake by surprise".
Amharicመደነቅ
The word "መደነቅ” comes from the root 'ደነቅ' which means 'to be strange or unusual'.
Hausamamaki
In Hausa, the word "mamaki" originates from the root word "mamako" meaning "to be struck by wonder or amazement".
Igboihe ijuanya
In Igbo, the word "ihe ijuanya" can also mean "a wonderful or amazing thing".
Malagasytsy nampoizina
In Malagasy, the word "tsy nampoizina" is a noun meaning "surprise," but it is also an expression meaning "without knowing it."
Nyanja (Chichewa)kudabwa
The word "kudabwa" in Nyanja can also mean "to happen" or "to occur."
Shonakushamisika
The word 'kushamisika' also means 'to be frightened' or 'to be startled'.
Somalilayaab
The word "layaab" can also refer to an unexpected event or an occurrence that is not easily explained.
Sesothomakatsa
In some instances, 'makatsa' can also translate as 'be taken by surprise', 'startled', 'shocked', 'amazed', 'astonished', 'surprised to an extreme degree', 'gobsmacked', 'floored', 'discombobulated', or 'flabbergasted'.
Swahilimshangao
Mshangao can also mean 'a spectacle' or 'an unexpected event', which reveals the word's close semantic relationship to its root 'shangaza', meaning 'to be astonished' or 'to be amazed'.
Xhosaukumangaliswa
The Xhosa word "ukumangaliswa" can also mean "a wonder" or "a marvel."
Yorubaiyalenu
"Iyale" in Yoruba means a family house, so "iyalenu" can also represent something that happens unexpectedly in the family house.
Zuluukumangala
The word "ukumangala" in Zulu can also mean "a sudden attack" or "an unexpected event".
Bambarabala
Ewesi do le kpome
Kinyarwandagutungurwa
Lingalakokamwisa
Lugandaokuzinduukiriza
Sepedimakatša
Twi (Akan)nwanwa

Surprise in North African & Middle Eastern Languages

Arabicمفاجأة
The word مفاجأة derives from the root ف-ج-أ which means to attack suddenly.
Hebrewהַפתָעָה
The verb הפתיע (hipti'a) in Hebrew means to suddenly attack, to ambush, or to capture by surprise.
Pashtoحیرانتیا
حیرانتیا can also means "astonishment" or "bewilderment" in Pashto.
Arabicمفاجأة
The word مفاجأة derives from the root ف-ج-أ which means to attack suddenly.

Surprise in Western European Languages

Albanianbefasi
The Albanian word "befasi" comes from the Turkish "befazet", which means "to be astonished".
Basquesorpresa
The word "sorpresa" in Basque is derived from the Latin "subripere", which means "to snatch away".
Catalansorpresa
"Sorpresa" in Catalan can also mean "unexpectedly" or "by chance".
Croatianiznenađenje
Iznenađenje originates from the verb 'iznenaditi' 'to take by surprise', whose root 'nenad' means 'something unexpected'.
Danishoverraskelse
The word "overraskelse" likely stems from the Old Norse "yfirraskan" meaning "to attack with great force".
Dutchverrassing
Verrassing, meaning surprise in Dutch, comes from the same Proto-Germanic root "war" as English surprise or wary and can also refer to the verb to stir or turn; a verb that can be applied to water, liquids, or thoughts.
Englishsurprise
The word "surprise" derives from the Middle French word "surprisse," meaning "to seize" or "to attack unexpectedly."
Frenchsurprise
In French, the word "surprise" also means "overwhelm" or "astonishment".
Frisianferrassing
The word 'ferrassing' is a blend of the Frisian words 'fer' ('very') and 'rassing' ('quick').
Galiciansorpresa
In Galician, "sorpresa" can also mean "a sudden and unexpected event" or "a piece of surprising news".
Germanüberraschung
Cognates of the German word 'Überraschung' include the English 'overreach' and 'surprise'.
Icelandickoma á óvart
"Koma á óvart" literally translates to "come upon unaware".
Irishiontas
"Iontas" also means "expectation" or "expectation of something that may or may not happen" in Irish
Italiansorpresa
The word "sorpresa" can also mean "overtaking" or "ambush" in Italian.
Luxembourgishiwwerraschen
The word 'iwwerraschen' is derived from the Old French word 'sorprendre' with the same meaning, which in turn is ultimately derived from the Latin 'subripere' meaning 'to steal'.
Maltesesorpriża
Maltese 'sorpriża' comes from French 'surprise' and is related to Italian 'sorpresa', sharing the root word 'surprendre', meaning to catch unexpectedly.
Norwegianoverraskelse
"Overraskelse" is derived from Dutch "overraschen" and means "catch unawares," implying a negative rather than positive sense.
Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil)surpresa
The word "surpresa" comes from the Old Occitan "sobrepresa" and the Old French "surprise", both derived from the Latin "superprisus" meaning "taken or caught unaware".
Scots Gaeliciongnadh
"Iongnadh" in Scots Gaelic originally referred to a "marvel" or "wonder," and only came to mean "surprise" in the 18th century.
Spanishsorpresa
The term "sorpresa" also refers to an unexpected situation in which one finds oneself without having sought it.
Swedishöverraskning
In Swedish, "överraskning" also refers to a pleasant incident or unexpected gift.
Welshsyndod
Although 'syndod' now means 'surprise', it was once used in the sense of 'gift'.

Surprise in Eastern European Languages

Belarusianздзіўленне
The word "здзіўленне" is derived from the Proto-Slavic word "*divъ", meaning "wonder" or "miracle".
Bosnianiznenađenje
Bosnian 'iznenađenje' comes from Turkish 'şaşırtmak' (to surprise or amaze) and shares cognates with the word 'astonish'.
Bulgarianизненада
The word "изненада" comes from the Old Church Slavonic word "изъ" (out) and "ненада" (unexpected).
Czechpřekvapení
The Czech word "překvapení" also means "an act of surprising someone".
Estonianüllatus
Üllatus is also the Estonian word for "thunder" and is derived from the verb "ülbama," meaning "to thunder".
Finnishyllätys
"Yllätys" can also refer to a sudden change in weather in Finnish.
Hungarianmeglepetés
'Meg' means 'again' and 'lep' means 'to steal'. So the word literally means 'to be stolen back', indicating the unexpected nature of surprise.
Latvianpārsteigums
The Latvian word "pārsteigums" originates from the verb "steigt", meaning "to rise, to go up" and the prefix "pār-", meaning "over, above, across".
Lithuanianstaigmena
The word "staigmena" in Lithuanian is derived from the word "staigti," meaning "to rise, to stand," and also refers to a sudden rise or change.
Macedonianизненадување
Polishniespodzianka
In Polish, the word "niespodzianka" can also mean a "gift" or a "treat".
Romaniansurprinde
The Romanian word "surprinde" ultimately derives from the French word "prendre" (meaning "to take") and originally meant "to catch someone in the act".
Russianсюрприз
Сюрприз (surprise) derives from the French word 'surprise' and is also used in Russian to refer to a 'gift' or 'unexpected event'.
Serbianизненађење
Изненађење relates to a word implying 'to know' or 'to perceive' and also carries the connotation of 'unexpectedness'.
Slovakprekvapenie
The word "prekvapenie" (surprise) derives from the verb "prekvapiť" (to surprise), which in turn comes from the Old Slavic word "prěkvapa" (ambush, sudden attack).
Slovenianpresenečenje
The Slovenian word "presenečenje" is ultimately of Slavic origin, and is related to words such as "surprise," "present," and "presence" in other Slavic languages.
Ukrainianсюрприз
In Ukrainian, "сюрприз" can also mean "a prank".

Surprise in South Asian Languages

Bengaliআশ্চর্য
"আশ্চর্য" comes from the Sanskrit word "aścarya", which means "wonderful, marvelous, or surprising".
Gujaratiઆશ્ચર્ય
The Gujarati word "આશ્ચર્ય" comes from the Sanskrit word "आश्चर्य" (āścarya), which means both "surprise" and "wonder".
Hindiआश्चर्य
The word "आश्चर्य" in Hindi derives from Sanskrit and has the alternate meaning of "wonder".
Kannadaಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯ
In Kannada, 'ಆಶ್ಚರ್ಯ' not only means 'surprise' but also has meanings like 'wonder', 'amazement', 'astonishment', and 'marvel'.
Malayalamആശ്ചര്യം
"ആശ്ചര്യം" also refers to wonder, awe, amazement or astonishment, depending on the context.
Marathiआश्चर्य
आश्चर्य (āścarya) is also used to express the concept of 'miracle' or 'wonder' in Marathi
Nepaliअचम्म
The word "अचम्म" originally meant "wonder" and was derived from "चमत्कार," which means a miracle.
Punjabiਹੈਰਾਨੀ
The word "हैरान" originated from the same root as "confusion", hinting at the complex and unexpected emotions it evokes.
Sinhala (Sinhalese)පුදුමය
The Sinhala word "පුදුමය" also refers to "the ability to see spirits" and is derived from the Sanskrit word "adbhutha".
Tamilஆச்சரியம்
"ஆச்சரியம்" comes from the root "அசிர்" (wonder), indicating a reaction to something that evokes amazement.
Teluguఆశ్చర్యం
Urduحیرت
"حیرت" not only means "surprise", but also, in its original sense, "bewilderment", "confusion", "perplexity", or "astonishment."

Surprise in East Asian Languages

Chinese (Simplified)吃惊
"吃惊'(surprise) in Chinese comes from '吃' (eat) and '惊'(fright), and it refers to the feeling of being so shocked that your jaw drops
Chinese (Traditional)吃驚
吃驚 is also an idiom in modern Chinese, which means to be very shocked or astounded.
Japanese驚き
驚き literally translates to mean either "sudden movement" or "to stir up".
Korean놀라다
The word “놀라다” derives from the Middle Korean word “놀라”, meaning "to tremble" or "to shake."
Mongolianгэнэтийн зүйл
Гэнэтийн зүйл is a Mongolian phrase that can also mean a sudden event or an unexpected happening.
Myanmar (Burmese)အံ့သြစရာ

Surprise in South East Asian Languages

Indonesianmengherankan
"Mengerankan" in Indonesian comes from the root word "heran," which means "astonished" and can also refer to a "riddle."
Javanesekaget
'Kaget' is derived from the Sanskrit word 'khēda' meaning 'sorrow, trouble, or fatigue'.
Khmerភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល
Laoແປກໃຈ
Malaykejutan
The word kejutan also has another meaning, which is "secret" (especially in the context of a plan or intention).
Thaiแปลกใจ
The Thai word "แปลกใจ" can also mean "interesting" or "unusual."
Vietnamesesự ngạc nhiên
In the south, "sự ngạc nhiên" can also mean "regrets" and is often used in "có gì ngạc nhiên?", which means "it is expected that something happened that way and nothing is surprising."
Filipino (Tagalog)sorpresa

Surprise in Central Asian Languages

Azerbaijanisürpriz
The word "sürpriz" in Azerbaijani can also mean "an unexpected event or occurrence".
Kazakhтосын сый
The word "тосын сый" can also mean "unexpected gift" or "unforeseen event" in Kazakh.
Kyrgyzсюрприз
"Сюрприз" (surprise) is a noun in Kyrgyz, derived from the Russian "сюрприз". The Turkish equivalent is "sürpriz". The origin is most likely the French word "surprise".
Tajikҳайрон шудан
The word "ҳайрон шудан" is derived from the Persian word "ḥayrān" and is also commonly used in Dari, with slightly different meanings and usage.
Turkmengeň galdyryjy
Uzbekajablanib
The word "ajablanib" is derived from the Arabic word "ajab" (wonder, amazement), and also means "to be astonished" or "to be amazed".
Uyghurھەيران قالارلىق

Surprise in Pacific Languages

Hawaiianpūʻiwa
Pūʻiwa is derived from the word pūʻi, which refers to a pimple or swelling on the skin, and is also used to describe something that is unexpected or sudden.
Maoriohorere
The Maori word "ohorere" also means "to be astonished" or "to be amazed".
Samoanteʻi
"Teʻi" can also mean to be stunned, bewildered, or amazed.
Tagalog (Filipino)sorpresa
The Tagalog word "sorpresa" can also refer to a present or a gift, and is derived from the Spanish word "sorpresa".

Surprise in American Indigenous Languages

Aymaraakatjamata
Guaranioñeha'ãrõ'ỹva

Surprise in International Languages

Esperantosurprizo
The Esperanto word 'surprizo' is derived from the French word 'surprise', meaning 'astonishment'.
Latinmirum
The word "mirum" also means "wonderful" or "strange" and is the root of the English word "miracle".

Surprise in Others Languages

Greekέκπληξη
The word έκπληξη is derived from the verb εκπλήσσω, meaning "to fill with amazement or awe".
Hmongceeb
"Ceeb" originated in the Hmong-Mien languages and is a term of endearment used for babies and children.
Kurdishnişkeşayî
Etymology unknown, perhaps of onomatopoetic origin.
Turkishsürpriz
Sürpriz's Persian root means 'to please', whereas in Turkish it is often used for something unexpected.
Xhosaukumangaliswa
The Xhosa word "ukumangaliswa" can also mean "a wonder" or "a marvel."
Yiddishיבערראַשן
The Yiddish word "יִבערראַשן" ("surprise") is derived from the German word "überraschen" with the same meaning.
Zuluukumangala
The word "ukumangala" in Zulu can also mean "a sudden attack" or "an unexpected event".
Assameseআচৰিত কৰা
Aymaraakatjamata
Bhojpuriअचरज
Dhivehiސަރޕްރައިޒް
Dogriरहान करना
Filipino (Tagalog)sorpresa
Guaranioñeha'ãrõ'ỹva
Ilocanosiddaaw
Kriosɔprayz
Kurdish (Sorani)سوپرایس
Maithiliआश्चर्य
Meiteilon (Manipuri)ꯑꯉꯛꯄ
Mizomak ti
Oromowanta hinyaadamin namaa gochuu
Odia (Oriya)ଆଶ୍ଚର୍ଯ୍ୟ
Quechuasorpresa
Sanskritआश्चर्य
Tatarсюрприз
Tigrinyaዘይተሓሰበ
Tsongaxihlamariso

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