sorprender
/soɾpɾenˈdeɾ/ · A2 · verb
to surprise
🎁 sor + prender = over + seize: a surprise seizes you from above
From French surprendre: sur (over) + prendre (to take). Spanish prender still means to seize or catch. English surprise comes from the same root, so sorprender is literally to over-take someone, to catch them off guard.