B2 Expression خنثی

prendere alla sprovvista

to catch off guard

معنی

To surprise someone unexpectedly.

🌍

زمینه فرهنگی

It is generally considered slightly rude to drop by someone's house without calling first, as you might 'prendere alla sprovvista' the host. However, in smaller villages, this is more accepted. In meetings, 'prendere alla sprovvista' a colleague with a difficult question can be seen as a power move (agguato). It's often better to warn them beforehand. Italian news often uses 'colto alla sprovvista' to describe a government's failure to react to a crisis, highlighting a lack of foresight. If you catch a Southern Italian family 'alla sprovvista', they will likely apologize profusely for only having 'simple' food, even if they serve you a five-course meal.

💡

Buy Time

Use 'Mi prendi alla sprovvista' as a filler phrase when you need 5 seconds to think of an answer in Italian.

⚠️

Gender Trap

Remember: it's always 'sprovvista' with an 'A', even if you are a man!

معنی

To surprise someone unexpectedly.

💡

Buy Time

Use 'Mi prendi alla sprovvista' as a filler phrase when you need 5 seconds to think of an answer in Italian.

⚠️

Gender Trap

Remember: it's always 'sprovvista' with an 'A', even if you are a man!

🎯

Verb Choice

Switch 'prendere' to 'cogliere' to sound 20% more sophisticated in written essays.

💬

Social Buffer

If you visit someone unannounced, say 'Scusa se ti prendo alla sprovvista' immediately to show you respect their time.

خودت رو بسنج

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the phrase.

Scusa, non volevo ______ alla sprovvista con questa notizia.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: prenderti

You need the object pronoun 'ti' (you) attached to the infinitive 'prendere'.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

A) Mi ha preso alla sprovvisto. B) Mi ha preso alla sprovvista. C) Mi ha preso allo sprovvista.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: B

'Alla sprovvista' is a fixed feminine phrase.

Fill in the missing part of the dialogue.

A: 'Perché non hai risposto alla mail?' B: 'Perché la tua richiesta ______.'

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: mi ha preso alla sprovvista

The context of not having a response ready fits 'prendere alla sprovvista' perfectly.

Match the situation to the best use of the phrase.

Situazione: Un temporale improvviso mentre sei al mare.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: La pioggia ci ha presi alla sprovvista.

The rain is the subject that surprises the people (us).

🎉 امتیاز: /4

ابزارهای بصری یادگیری

Prendere vs. Fare

Prendere alla sprovvista
Unprepared Impreparato
Neutral/Negative Neutro/Negativo
Fare una sorpresa
Planned Pianificato
Positive Positivo

بانک تمرین

4 تمرین‌ها
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the phrase. جای خالی B1

Scusa, non volevo ______ alla sprovvista con questa notizia.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: prenderti

You need the object pronoun 'ti' (you) attached to the infinitive 'prendere'.

Which sentence is grammatically correct? Choose A2

A) Mi ha preso alla sprovvisto. B) Mi ha preso alla sprovvista. C) Mi ha preso allo sprovvista.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: B

'Alla sprovvista' is a fixed feminine phrase.

Fill in the missing part of the dialogue. dialogue_completion B2

A: 'Perché non hai risposto alla mail?' B: 'Perché la tua richiesta ______.'

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: mi ha preso alla sprovvista

The context of not having a response ready fits 'prendere alla sprovvista' perfectly.

Match the situation to the best use of the phrase. situation_matching B1

Situazione: Un temporale improvviso mentre sei al mare.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: La pioggia ci ha presi alla sprovvista.

The rain is the subject that surprises the people (us).

🎉 امتیاز: /4

سوالات متداول

12 سوال

Yes, but it emphasizes the shock/unreadiness rather than the joy. For a purely happy surprise, 'che bella sorpresa' is better.

It is always 'alla' because 'sprovvista' is feminine.

Yes, it means that person surprised you unexpectedly.

'All'improvviso' means 'suddenly' (adverb of time). 'Prendere alla sprovvista' describes the effect on a person.

It's neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend.

Yes, very common: 'La pioggia mi ha preso alla sprovvista'.

Yes, you conjugate it like any normal verb (prendo, prendi, ha preso...).

No, you must use 'essere colto/preso alla sprovvista' or 'trovarsi alla sprovvista'.

Almost never. It's a 'fossil' word that only lives in this expression.

Sono stato preso alla sprovvista.

Yes, 'mi hai spiazzato' (you displaced me) is very common slang.

Yes, 'mi ha preso' is the most common way to use it.

عبارات مرتبط

🔄

Cogliere di sorpresa

synonym

To catch by surprise

🔗

Fare una sorpresa

similar

To give a surprise

🔗

All'improvviso

similar

Suddenly

🔗

Restare di sasso

builds on

To be petrified/stunned

🔗

Senza preavviso

similar

Without warning

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