erstaunt

Erstaunt is a German adjective meaning astonished or amazed. It is derived from the verb erstaunen, “to astonish,” and functions as a participial adjective formed with the prefix er- and the root staunen. As a declined adjective, it follows standard mixed- adjective patterns: der erstaunte Mann, die erstaunte Frau, das erstaunte Kind; in plural: die erstaunten Menschen.

Usage in context typically describes a person’s emotional reaction to something surprising. It is commonly used with the preposition über: Ich bin erstaunt über die Ergebnisse. It can also introduce a subordinate clause: Es hat mich erstaunt, dass du gekommen bist. The related noun is das Erstaunen, meaning “astonishment” or “astonishment at something.”

Difference from related terms: Erstaunt emphasizes the immediate cognitive reaction to something surprising, whereas erstaunlich means “astonishing” or “amazing” in describing a thing or situation. Überrascht or überrascht describes a lighter sense of surprise, often due to an expectation being met or unmet. The noun form Erstaunen corresponds to the feeling, while the adjective erstaunt describes the subject’s state.

Examples: Die Zuschauer waren erstaunt über die Wendung in der Geschichte. Er war erstaunt, wie schnell sie geantwortet hat. Es ist erstaunlich, wie sorgfältig er arbeitet. In everyday language, ers taunt is commonly used in reporting reactions or in personal statements about surprise.

Etymology note: Erstaunt derives from erfahrene verb roots in German, combining er- with staunen to convey the sense of becoming astonished. It remains a standard, widely understood term in modern German.