Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| sorprendentemente | /soɾpɾenˌdenteˈmente/ |
| sorpresivamente | /soɾpɾeˌsibaˈmente/ |
| fulminantemente | /fulminantemente/ (from spelling rules) |
The primary way to say 'surprisingly' is sorprendentemente, used to describe something that is unexpected or unusual. You can also use the phrase de forma sorprendente to mean 'in a surprising way'. If you want to express that something happened in an unexpected manner, you might also use curiosamente.
Which one should you use?
While sorprendentemente is the standard way to express that something is surprising or unexpected, sorpresivamente is often used more specifically to describe an action that occurs suddenly or abruptly.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adverb sorprendentemente is formed by taking the feminine singular adjective sorprendente and adding the suffix -mente.
How do you pronounce it?
/soɾpɾenˌdenteˈmente/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use fulminantemente to mean 'surprisingly'. This word specifically means 'suddenly' or 'lightning-fast' in the sense of a sudden strike or death.
When do people say it?
If you wish to convey direct surprise or astonishment as an exclamation, you can use caramba (similar to saying 'Wow!').
Did you know?
- The exclamation caramba used to express surprise is a polite euphemism that avoids using the word 'God' in a potentially blasphemous way.
- The suffix -mente in sorprendentemente shares a common ancestor with the English word 'mind', as both trace back to the Proto-Indo-European root *men-, which relates to thinking or the mental faculty.
- The word fulminantemente comes from the Latin word for 'lightning bolt', reflecting its use for things that strike suddenly and decisively.
Examples in context
- Tom es sorprendentemente friolero.Tom is surprisingly sensitive to cold.This example shows how to describe a person's sensitivity to cold using sorprendentemente.Tatoeba #3796295 by Seael, translation #3060016 by WestofEden
- La muñeca era sorprendentemente realista.The doll was surprisingly lifelike.This sentence uses sorprendentemente to describe how lifelike a doll was.Tatoeba #2061376 by lazarus1907, translation #2032990 by CK
- Sorprendentemente, él resultó ser un ladrón.Surprisingly enough, he turned out to be a thief.This example illustrates using sorprendentemente at the start of a sentence to show that someone's character was unexpected.Tatoeba #1698839 by marcelostockle, translation #18916 by Zifre
- Sorprendentemente, encontré el libro que llevaba tiempo buscando en mi estantería.Surprisingly, I found the book I had been searching for on my bookshelf.
- Inesperadamente, ganamos el premio al mejor equipo del torneo.Surprisingly, we won the award for best team in the tournament.
- Curiosamente, el restaurante que escogimos fue el mismo al que había ido mi hermana el día anterior.Surprisingly, the restaurant we chose was the same one my sister had gone to the day before.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are discussing a new restaurant.
- MateoFuimos al nuevo restaurante ayer.We went to the new restaurant yesterday.
- Sofía¿Te gustó la comida, Mateo?Did you like the food, Mateo?
- MateoSí, la comida estaba sorprendentemente buena.Yes, the food was surprisingly good.
- SofíaMe alegra saber que valió la pena.I am glad to know it was worth it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “surprisingly” translations and entries sorprendentemente, sorpresivamente, fulminantemente, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fulminantemente, sorprendentemente, sorpresivamente, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
