Sorprender is a regular -er verb in Spanish.
Practice sorprender free →Sorprender means 'to surprise', and it is a regular -er verb that often works like gustar — the thing that surprises is the subject. Me sorprende su actitud (his attitude surprises me). The reflexive sorprenderse means 'to be surprised': me sorprendí al verlo (I was surprised to see him). Because reactions and the unexpected add interest to narrative and opinion writing, sorprender is a useful, slightly higher-level verb. As a regular -er verb the conjugation is predictable, and the related noun una sorpresa ('a surprise') is everyday vocabulary.
Quick facts
Sorprender (to surprise) is a regular -er verb.
Real sentences across different tenses — the kind of thing you'd actually say or write.
Me sorprende su actitud (his attitude surprises me).
Reflexive sorprenderse: me sorprendí.
Adds the unexpected to stories.
Una sorpresa (a surprise).
Fixed expressions worth knowing — they come up in listening, reading and writing tasks.
Idiomatic expressions
sorprender is a regular -er verb — it follows the standard -er pattern in every tense. That makes it a good one to drill: if you know sorprender, you know the template for all regular -er verbs.
Type conjugations from memory and get instant feedback. That's how you actually build the automatic recall the exam needs — not from reading tables.
Practice sorprender now →Three questions, no account needed. Type the form, then press Enter or tap Check.
yo: sorprendo, tú: sorprendes, él: sorprende, nosotros: sorprendemos, vosotros: sorprendéis, ellos: sorprenden
The past participle is sorprendido (he sorprendido) and the gerund is sorprendiendo (estoy sorprendiendo).
Sorprender is on the AQA and Eduqas GCSE Spanish vocabulary lists, but not on Edexcel.
Verbs that are easy to confuse with sorprender or that behave like it.
Sorprender is on the AQA and Eduqas GCSE Spanish vocabulary lists, but not on Edexcel. Compare the exam boards.
Written by Daniel Holmes for GCSE & A-Level Spanish students.