Sorprender vs. extrañar vs. asombrar
In Spanish, the words 'sorprender', 'extrañar', and 'asombrar' share a common ground in being related to surprise or unexpected situations. However, they are used differently depending on the context and the type of surprise or feeling they refer to.
Sorprender
'Sorprender' refers to catching someone off guard or causing someone to feel amazement or wonder because something was unexpected.
Mi promoción en el trabajo me sorprendió.
(My promotion at work surprised me.)
Esa película me sorprendió con su final inesperado.
(That movie surprised me with its unexpected ending.)
Extrañar
'Extrañar' is often translated as 'to miss' but can also mean to make someone feel strange about something.
Extraño a mi familia cuando estoy lejos.
(I miss my family when I am away.)
Me extraña que no haya llamado todavía.
(It surprises me that he hasn't called yet.)
Asombrar
'Asombrar' refers to causing great surprise or wonder, often associated with something astonishing or impressive.
El mago asombró al público con su acto.
(The magician amazed the audience with his act.)
Las vistas desde la montaña me asombraron.
(The views from the mountain amazed me.)
Summary
While 'sorprender', 'extrañar', and 'asombrar' can be translated as 'to surprise', they differ subtly in their usage. 'Sorprender' implies being caught off guard, 'extrañar' can convey missing somebody/something or being surprised by something odd, and 'asombrar' suggests a profound level of astonishment. Understanding these nuances is key to using these verbs correctly in Spanish.