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étonner

astonish

verb eh-toh-NEH Less Common

Also means

surprise

Usage Note

Étonner is most commonly seen in the reflexive or impersonal constructions: je m'étonne que... ('I'm surprised that...') and ça m'étonne ('that surprises me'). The adjective étonnant ('astonishing', 'surprising') is widely used and can express both admiration and mild disbelief. The noun étonnement means astonishment.

Examples

"Ça m'étonne qu'il soit parti."

Natural Translation

It surprises me that he left.

Literal Translation

That me-surprises that he is left

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