how to say “surprising” in Hebrew

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /]מַפְתִּיעַ

You may know the Hebrew word for a surprise – הפתעה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /], as in:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /]זאת מסיבת הפתעה, אל תגלו לו!

It’s a surprise party, don’t (you guys) tell him!

הפתעה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /] derives from the הפעיל verb להפתיע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /] – to surprise. 

Likewise, something surprising is מפתיע[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /] (something grammatically masculine) or מפתיעה[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /] (something grammatically feminine).

For example:

[audioclip url=”https://archive.ulpan.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/מפתיע-#.m4a” /]בתפנית מפתיעה, הארגון השקט החליט לנהל קמפיין פוליטי.

In a surprising turn of events, the quiet organization decided to conduct a political campaign.