Usage Note
Surprise is used identically to the English word and is immediately recognizable. The phrase quelle surprise! ('what a surprise!') is a staple of everyday conversation. Surprise can also function as an invariable exclamation, and une fête surprise (a surprise party) is widely understood. The verb surprendre ('to surprise') shares the same root.
Examples
"Sa visite a été une belle surprise."
Natural Translation
His visit was a lovely surprise.
Free starter pack
Building your French vocabulary?
Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.
Related Words
Explore French by topic
