Sorprenderse Conjugation in Spanish

The Spanish verb sorprenderse means to be surprised, and it is a verb you will use again and again once you know it. Sorprenderse means to be surprised, and it is the reflexive verb for the feeling of surprise: sorprenderse con la noticia, sorprenderse de ver a alguien. It takes con or de. It is fully regular, and its non-reflexive partner sorprender means to surprise someone else. Like every Spanish verb, sorprenderse changes its ending for each person and tense, and this page gives you the complete picture: every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle, all from the verified conjugation tables. For example, in the present tense you say me sorprendo con la noticia del premio, and in the preterite you say me sorprendí mucho con el regalo. Work through the tables below, read the notes for each tense, and then test yourself with the examples, the common mistakes and the quiz at the end of the page.

Quick facts

  • Infinitive: sorprenderse
  • English: to be surprised
  • Verb type: regular -er verb, reflexive
  • Ending: -er
  • Gerund: sorprendiendo
  • Past participle: sorprendido
  • Auxiliary verb: haber (all perfect tenses are formed with haber + sorprendido)
  • Reflexive pronouns: me, te, se, nos, os, se — one before every conjugated form, matching the person.

Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for sorprenderse, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Sorprenderse is reflexive: me sorprendo con la noticia. Sorprender without the pronoun surprises someone else.

Full conjugation tables

Every form below comes from the verified conjugation tables for sorprenderse. The imperfect subjunctive is shown in its -ra forms; the -se forms use the same stem. For reflexive verbs, the pronoun column shows the reflexive pronoun that goes before each form.

Present indicative

Person Pronoun Form
yo me sorprendo
tú te sorprendes
él/ella/Ud. se sorprende
nosotros/as nos sorprendemos
vosotros/as os sorprendéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprenden

Preterite

Person Pronoun Form
yo me sorprendí
tú te sorprendiste
él/ella/Ud. se sorprendió
nosotros/as nos sorprendimos
vosotros/as os sorprendisteis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprendieron

Imperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me sorprendía
tú te sorprendías
él/ella/Ud. se sorprendía
nosotros/as nos sorprendíamos
vosotros/as os sorprendíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprendían

Future

Person Pronoun Form
yo me sorprenderé
tú te sorprenderás
él/ella/Ud. se sorprenderá
nosotros/as nos sorprenderemos
vosotros/as os sorprenderéis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprenderán

Conditional

Person Pronoun Form
yo me sorprendería
tú te sorprenderías
él/ella/Ud. se sorprendería
nosotros/as nos sorprenderíamos
vosotros/as os sorprenderíais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprenderían

Present perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me he sorprendido
tú te has sorprendido
él/ella/Ud. se ha sorprendido
nosotros/as nos hemos sorprendido
vosotros/as os habéis sorprendido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se han sorprendido

Pluperfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me había sorprendido
tú te habías sorprendido
él/ella/Ud. se había sorprendido
nosotros/as nos habíamos sorprendido
vosotros/as os habíais sorprendido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habían sorprendido

Future perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habré sorprendido
tú te habrás sorprendido
él/ella/Ud. se habrá sorprendido
nosotros/as nos habremos sorprendido
vosotros/as os habréis sorprendido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrán sorprendido

Conditional perfect

Person Pronoun Form
yo me habría sorprendido
tú te habrías sorprendido
él/ella/Ud. se habría sorprendido
nosotros/as nos habríamos sorprendido
vosotros/as os habríais sorprendido
ellos/ellas/Uds. se habrían sorprendido

Present subjunctive

Person Pronoun Form
yo me sorprenda
tú te sorprendas
él/ella/Ud. se sorprenda
nosotros/as nos sorprendamos
vosotros/as os sorprendáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprendan

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Person Pronoun Form
yo me sorprendiera
tú te sorprendieras
él/ella/Ud. se sorprendiera
nosotros/as nos sorprendiéramos
vosotros/as os sorprendierais
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprendieran

Imperative (affirmative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te sorprende
él/ella/Ud. se sorprenda
nosotros/as nos sorprendamos
vosotros/as os sorprended
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprendan

Imperative (negative)

Person Pronoun Form
tú te sorprendas
él/ella/Ud. se sorprenda
nosotros/as nos sorprendamos
vosotros/as os sorprendáis
ellos/ellas/Uds. se sorprendan

Gerund and past participle

Form Spanish Use
Gerund sorprendiendo with estar for the progressive: estoy sorprendiendo (or me estoy sorprendiendo for this reflexive verb)
Past participle sorprendido with haber for the perfect tenses: he sorprendido

How to use each tense

Present indicative

Use the present for routines, general facts and what is happening right now. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the present looks like this in a real sentence: Me sorprendo con la noticia del premio. Learn the present forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Preterite

Use the preterite for finished actions with a clear end, often with ayer, el año pasado or anoche. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the preterite looks like this in a real sentence: Ayer, me sorprendí de ver a su hermano. Learn the preterite forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect

Use the imperfect for background, habits and actions in progress in the past, often with de niño, antes or mientras. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the imperfect looks like this in a real sentence: De niño, me sorprendía mucho con el regalo. Learn the imperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future

Use the future for plans, predictions and promises, often with mañana, el año que viene or pronto. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the future looks like this in a real sentence: Mañana, me sorprenderé al abrir la puerta. Learn the future forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional

Use the conditional for polite requests, hypotheticals and what would happen, often with si clauses. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the conditional looks like this in a real sentence: Me sorprendería con la noticia del premio si pudiera. Learn the conditional forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present perfect

Use the present perfect for recent actions and experiences, often with hoy, esta semana or ya. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the present perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Hoy, me he sorprendido de ver a su hermano. Learn the present perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Pluperfect

Use the pluperfect when one past action happened before another past action. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the pluperfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me había sorprendido mucho con el regalo antes de salir. Learn the pluperfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Future perfect

Use the future perfect for something that will already be finished by a future time. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the future perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Para mañana, me habré sorprendido al abrir la puerta. Learn the future perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Conditional perfect

Use the conditional perfect for what would have happened under different conditions. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the conditional perfect looks like this in a real sentence: Me habría sorprendido con la noticia del premio con más tiempo. Learn the conditional perfect forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Present subjunctive

Use the present subjunctive after expressions of wish, doubt, emotion and hope, such as espero que or quiero que. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the present subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Espero que él se sorprenda de ver a su hermano. Learn the present subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperfect subjunctive (-ra)

Use the imperfect subjunctive after past wishes and in si clauses about the past, and note the -ra forms shown here; the -se forms use the same stem. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the imperfect subjunctive looks like this in a real sentence: Si él se sorprendiera mucho con el regalo, todo cambiaría. Learn the imperfect subjunctive forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (affirmative)

Use the affirmative imperative for direct commands, instructions and invitations. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the affirmative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: Que se sorprenda al abrir la puerta. Learn the affirmative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Imperative (negative)

Use the negative imperative, always with no, to tell someone not to do something. For this verb the tense is regular, so the forms follow the standard endings for its verb class. For sorprenderse, the negative imperative looks like this in a real sentence: No te sorprendas con la noticia del premio. Learn the negative imperative forms in the table above alongside this example, and notice how the ending, not the stem, usually carries the meaning of the tense.

Example sentences

Ten natural sentences with sorprenderse, covering different tenses and persons. Each one uses a form from the tables above.

  1. Me sorprendo con la noticia del premio. — I be surprised at the news of the prize.
  2. Se sorprende de ver a su hermano. — He/she is surprised at seeing her brother.
  3. Ayer, me sorprendí mucho con el regalo. — Yesterday, I was surprised a lot with the present.
  4. Antes, nosotros nos sorprendíamos al abrir la puerta. — Before, we used to be surprised on opening the door.
  5. Mañana, tú te sorprenderás con la noticia del premio. — Tomorrow, you will be surprised at the news of the prize.
  6. Yo me sorprendería de ver a su hermano si tuviera más tiempo. — I would be surprised at seeing her brother if I had more time.
  7. Él se ha sorprendido mucho con el regalo. — He has been surprised a lot with the present.
  8. Espero que él se sorprenda al abrir la puerta. — I hope he is surprised on opening the door.
  9. Yo ya me había sorprendido con la noticia del premio antes de salir. — I had already been surprised at the news of the prize before leaving.
  10. Ellos se sorprendían de ver a su hermano cuando eran jóvenes. — They used to be surprised at seeing her brother when they were young.

Common mistakes

  1. Wrong: Yo sorprendo con la noticia del premio. — Right: Yo me sorprendo con la noticia del premio. — Sorprenderse is reflexive, so the pronoun me is required: without it the verb means something else, or nothing at all.
  2. Wrong: Ayer yo sorprendo de ver a su hermano. — Right: Ayer yo sorprendí de ver a su hermano. — The present and the preterite are different tenses: sorprendo is happening now, while sorprendí is a finished action in the past. Use the preterite with ayer.
  3. Wrong: Treating sorprenderse and sorprender as identical in every context. — Right: Sorprenderse means to be surprised, while sorprender means to surprise someone else. — They overlap, but each has uses the other does not: sorprenderse fits sentences such as Me sorprendo con la noticia del premio, while sorprender belongs in a different sentence. Check the meaning you want before choosing.
  4. Wrong: Yo soy sorprendido de ver a su hermano. — Right: Yo he sorprendido de ver a su hermano. — Spanish perfect tenses use haber, not ser: he sorprendido, has sorprendido, ha sorprendido. Ser plus the participle makes a passive, not a perfect tense.
  5. Wrong: De niño, yo sorprendí mucho con el regalo todos los días. — Right: De niño, yo sorprendía mucho con el regalo todos los días. — For a repeated habit in the past, use the imperfect (sorprendía), not the preterite. The preterite (sorprendí) is for one finished action.

Quiz: test yourself

Ten questions on sorprenderse. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.

  1. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ con la noticia del premio. (present tense) A. me sorprendo B. te sorprendes C. se sorprende D. nos sorprendemos

  2. Complete the sentence: Ayer, él ___ de ver a su hermano. (preterite) A. me sorprendí B. te sorprendiste C. nos sorprendimos D. se sorprendió

  3. Complete the sentence: Antes, nosotros ___ mucho con el regalo. (imperfect) A. te sorprendías B. se sorprendía C. nos sorprendíamos D. me sorprendía

  4. Complete the sentence: Mañana, tú ___ al abrir la puerta. (future) A. nos sorprenderemos B. te sorprenderás C. me sorprenderé D. se sorprenderá

  5. Complete the sentence: Yo ___ con la noticia del premio si pudiera. (conditional) A. me sorprendería B. te sorprenderías C. se sorprendería D. nos sorprenderíamos

  6. Complete the sentence: Espero que él ___ de ver a su hermano. (present subjunctive) A. me sorprenda B. te sorprendas C. nos sorprendamos D. se sorprenda

  7. Complete the sentence: Si yo ___ mucho con el regalo, todo cambiaría. (imperfect subjunctive, -ra form) A. se sorprendiera B. nos sorprendiéramos C. me sorprendiera D. te sorprendieras

  8. Complete the sentence: Nosotros ___ al abrir la puerta. (present perfect) A. se ha sorprendido B. nos hemos sorprendido C. me he sorprendido D. te has sorprendido

  9. Complete the command: No ___ con la noticia del premio. (negative imperative, tú) A. te sorprendas B. se sorprenda C. nos sorprendamos D. os sorprendáis

  10. Which is the gerund of sorprenderse, used with estar for the progressive? A. sorprendido B. sorprendo C. sorprendí D. sorprendiendo

Answer key

  1. me sorprendo — The yo present tense of sorprenderse is me sorprendo.
  2. se sorprendió — The él/ella/Ud. preterite of sorprenderse is se sorprendió.
  3. nos sorprendíamos — The nosotros/as imperfect of sorprenderse is nos sorprendíamos.
  4. te sorprenderás — The tú future of sorprenderse is te sorprenderás.
  5. me sorprendería — The yo conditional of sorprenderse is me sorprendería.
  6. se sorprenda — The él/ella/Ud. present subjunctive of sorprenderse is se sorprenda.
  7. me sorprendiera — The yo imperfect subjunctive, -ra form of sorprenderse is me sorprendiera.
  8. nos hemos sorprendido — The nosotros/as present perfect of sorprenderse is nos hemos sorprendido.
  9. te sorprendas — The negative tú imperative uses the present subjunctive form with no before it: te sorprendas.
  10. sorprendiendo — The gerund of sorprenderse is sorprendiendo: estoy sorprendiendo. The participle sorprendido is used with haber instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does sorprenderse mean in English?

Sorprenderse means to be surprised. It is used in everyday situations such as Me sorprendo con la noticia del premio. The exact English wording depends on the context, but the core meaning stays the same across the tenses.

Is sorprenderse a reflexive verb?

Yes. Sorprenderse is reflexive, so it always takes a reflexive pronoun that matches the person: me, te, se, nos, os or se. For example, Me sorprendo con la noticia del premio and él se sorprende de ver a su hermano. If you leave the pronoun out, the verb changes meaning or stops making sense.

What is the difference between sorprenderse and sorprender?

Sorprenderse means to be surprised, while sorprender means to surprise someone else. They are easy to confuse because they appear in similar situations, but they are not interchangeable: use sorprenderse when you mean to be surprised, as in Me sorprendo con la noticia del premio, and use sorprender for to surprise someone else. When in doubt, check the object of the sentence — it usually shows which verb fits.

How do I say “I be surprised” in the past?

It depends on the kind of past. For one finished action, use the preterite: yo me sorprendí de ver a su hermano. For a repeated habit or background in the past, use the imperfect: yo me sorprendía mucho con el regalo. For something that has just happened, use the present perfect: yo me he sorprendido de ver a su hermano.

How do I practise sorprenderse?

Start with the present tense table, then drill the preterite and the imperfect, since those two past tenses cause the most mistakes. Try the sorprenderse examples and quiz page for more sentences, and use the Spanish Verb Quiz to test the forms under pressure.

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