It’s a surprise for me vs It’s a surprise to me

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in slightly different contexts. 'It's a surprise for me' implies that the surprise is intended for the speaker, while 'It's a surprise to me' suggests that the surprise was unexpected. The choice between 'for' and 'to' depends on whether the surprise was planned or not.

Last updated: April 04, 2024 • 233 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"It’s a surprise for me"

This phrase is used when the surprise is intended for the speaker, meaning that someone has planned a surprise specifically for them.

Examples:

It's a surprise for me that you remembered my birthday.
The party was a surprise for me, and I was truly touched.
He prepared a surprise for me on our anniversary.

Show examples from the web [+]

It’s a surprise for me
It's a surprise for aunt Peyton.
It's a surprise for Spencer.
It's a surprise for Beatrice.
It's a surprise for his birthday.
It's a surprise for a friend.
It's a surprise for me too.
No. It's a surprise for you, too.
It's a surprise for me too,
It's a surprise for Mindy and her parents!
It's a surprise for her, not me.
It's a surprise for the end of the night planned by the "Dean."
It's a surprise for the end of the night planned by "the dean."
Yes, it's a surprise for me too.
Believe me, it's a surprise for me too.
I get down here to make an estimate, and she's like, "it's a surprise for him."
If it's a surprise for sam, then why aren't you at sam's house?
It's a surprise for Christine.
It's a surprise for someone.
It's a surprise for Paul.
it's a surprise for sam.

Alternatives:

It's a surprise that I wasn't expecting.
It's a surprise that caught me off guard.

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"It’s a surprise to me"

This phrase is used when the surprise was unexpected, meaning that the speaker did not anticipate it.

Examples:

The news came as a surprise to me.
It was a surprise to me that she was leaving.
The results of the test were a surprise to me.

Show examples from the web [+]

It’s a surprise to me
It's a surprise to see you again, sir.
It's a surprise to me, but I have so much love to give.
Plus, it's a surprise to find out what unusual items hide in each piece!
It's a surprise to see you in here.
It's a surprise to find him unchanged.
It's not a surprise to me that you have some issues.
It's still a surprise to us.
It's almost a surprise to see that there are still books made of paper and cardboard on the shelves. Find out more about the city's neighbourhoods with our Going Local Berlin app.
I'm telling it to you because it's still all a surprise to me.
It's more of a surprise to me parents can be supportive and loving.
"It's a surprise even to people like myself," said Dr. Christopher Murray, who worked on the study.
It's a nice surprise to see the Bellas mixing it up.
It's a pleasant surprise to hear he had one at all.
It's a pleasant surprise to find such a warm sanctuary in the middle of such a cold hell.
It's always a nice surprise to discover that a component is capable of more than you'd previously expected when paired with a different source.
It's such a surprise for me to be with someone so virile and masculine.
It's quite a surprise, even to the thief.
Romania has made progress on a number of fronts, and it's not a big surprise to us to see that the country has improved in global competitiveness.
It's really a pleasant surprise to discover this small hilly area inside the confines of our city: an oasis of peace and green with a production of great red wines of Botticino doc: Vigne di mattina, Doliolo and Vigna Cobio.
You are selfish and immature and it's not a surprise to anyone that you didn't accomplish anything on your list!

Alternatives:

I was surprised by it.
It was unexpected for me.

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