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How to Say ‘What a surprise!’ in Italian

Che sorpresa!

keh sor-PREH-zah

[keh sor-PREH-zah]

💬 Usage Tip: Che + a noun makes an exclamation: "what a…!" Swap in any noun: Che peccato! "What a shame!", Che bello! "How lovely!"

Phrase Breakdown

Che

[keh]

what

Question word used to ask for information or specification.

Example

Che tipo di ruolo cerchi?

What kind of role are you looking for?

sorpresa

[sor-PREH-zah]

surprise

Something unexpected and pleasant, common for birthdays or anniversaries.

Example

La torta arriva come una sorpresa a fine cena.

The cake arrives as a surprise at the end of dinner.

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