Je suis surpris
In French, "I am surprised" is said as Je suis surpris.
The phrase Je suis surpris is used to express that something unexpected has happened.
Which one should you use?
While Je suis surpris is a common way to express surprise, a very frequent synonym used to express a similar sense of being surprised or astonished is étonné.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In France and some French-speaking African countries, Je suis médusé(e) is used to mean "I am awestruck".
How does it change in a sentence?
If the speaker is female, the adjective must take an extra 'e' at the end: Je suis surprise. When following the phrase with a verb, you use the preposition de before the infinitive, such as Je suis surpris de voir…
Did you know?
- If you want to say you are 'taken aback' by something unexpected, you can use the idiom tomber des nues. This literally translates to 'falling from the clouds'.
- In French, if your surprise is so intense that you are frozen or speechless, you can say Je suis médusé. This refers to the Greek myth of Medusa, whose gaze could turn people to stone.
- The word suis in Je suis surpris is a linguistic oddity where the present tense was shaped by the past tense. The modern form was heavily influenced by the Latin 'fuī', meaning 'I was', rather than following the standard evolution of the Latin 'sum'.
Examples in context
- Je suis surpris de l'apprendre.I am surprised to learn this.This sentence is useful for expressing surprise upon learning something using Je suis surpris.Tatoeba #1724267 by sacredceltic, translation #1723921 by Spamster
- Je suis surpris de te voir dans cet hôtel.I am surprised to see you here in this hotel.This sentence is useful for expressing surprise at seeing someone in a specific location using Je suis surpris.Tatoeba #7695855 by Maxence, translation #60499 by CK
- Je suis surpris par toutes les choses qu'il fait.I am surprised by a lot of the things he does.This sentence is useful for expressing surprise caused by someone's actions using Je suis surpris.Tatoeba #1144861 by Wittydev, translation #1142772 by CM
- Je suis surpris(e) d'apprendre que vous êtes déjà de retour de voyage.I am surprised to hear that you are already back from your trip.
- Je suis épaté(e) par tes talents de cuisinier.I am amazed by your cooking skills.
- Je suis bluffé(e) par le spectacle que nous avons vu hier soir.I am blown away by the show we saw last night.
- Je suis ébaubi(e) de découvrir à quel point votre jardin est magnifique.I am amazed to discover how beautiful your garden is.
- Je suis médusé(e) par tes compétences linguistiques.I am awestruck by your linguistic skills.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Gabriel tells Chloé that he won a prize.
- ChloéTu as vraiment gagné le concours ?You really won the contest?
- GabrielOui, j'ai reçu l'e-mail ce matin.Yes, I received the email this morning.
- ChloéJe suis surpris pour toi, Gabriel !I am surprised for you, Gabriel!
- GabrielMoi aussi, je ne m'y attendais pas.Me too, I wasn't expecting it.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries je, suis, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
