sorpréndeme
/soɾpɾendeme/from spelling rules
The English phrase "surprise me" can be translated into Spanish as sorpréndeme.
A request for someone to choose something for you or do something unexpected.
What does it mean word for word?
The word sorpréndeme is a combination of the imperative verb sorprende (surprise) and the object pronoun me (me).
Which one should you use?
You might also hear the informal phrase A ver con qué me sorprendes, which translates to "Let's see with what you surprise me."
How do you pronounce it?
/soɾpɾendeme/
Did you know?
- In Spanish, sorprender comes from the Latin word sorprehendere, which literally meant 'to seize' or 'to capture'. It describes the feeling of being 'caught off guard' rather than just being amazed.
- The verb sorprender has a sneaky secondary meaning of 'to catch someone in the act'. If a person says me sorprendieron, they might not be talking about a birthday gift, but rather that they were caught doing something they were not supposed to do.
- If you use sorpréndeme at a restaurant, you might sound like a character in a soap opera. In real-life dining, it is much more natural to use phrases like lo que tenga or lo que sea to signal you are leaving the choice to the waiter.
Examples in context
- Sorpréndeme.Surprise me.This example shows how to use the form sorpréndeme directly.Tatoeba #10632243 by Seael, translation #8080432 by CK
- ¿Podrías sorprenderme con el postre?Could you surprise me with dessert?
- No sé qué pedir, así que sorpréndeme.I don't know what to order, so surprise me.
- No me digas qué regalo es, ¡sorpréndeme!Don't tell me what gift it is, surprise me!
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena are at a restaurant choosing dinner.
- Mateo¿Quieres ver el menú de hoy?Do you want to see today's menu?
- ElenaNo, mejor sorpréndeme con algo rico.No, better surprise me with something delicious.
- MateoEstá bien, pediré la especialidad del chef.Alright, I will order the chef's specialty.
- Elena¡Perfecto, confío en tu elección!Perfect, I trust your choice!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
