Breakdown of Me sorprende lo arriesgado que es saltar con la tabla.
ser
to be
con
with
que
that / than
me
to me / me (direct object)
sorprender
to surprise
saltar
to jump
lo
the ... thing (neuter article)
arriesgado
risky
la tabla
the board (plank of wood)
Questions & Answers about Me sorprende lo arriesgado que es saltar con la tabla.
Why do we use lo arriesgado que to say "how risky" instead of cómo arriesgado or qué arriesgado?
In Spanish, to express "how [adjective]" inside a larger sentence (as a degree or intensity clause), you use the formula lo + adjective + que. You can use ¡Qué arriesgado! as a standalone exclamation ("How risky!"), but you must use lo arriesgado que when connecting it to a main verb like sorprende. Note that you cannot use cómo directly with an adjective.
Since Me sorprende expresses an emotion, shouldn't the verb es be in the subjunctive (sea)?
This is a common tricky spot! Normally, verbs of emotion trigger the subjunctive, like in Me sorprende que saltar sea tan arriesgado. However, the structure lo + adjective + que focuses heavily on the extreme degree or intensity of something already experienced and accepted as a solid fact. Because of this focus on the absolute reality of the degree, it usually takes the indicative (es).
What is the subject of the verb sorprende here?
What kind of board does la tabla refer to in this context?
La tabla usually refers to a sporting board, like a surfboard (tabla de surf), snowboard (tabla de snowboard), or skateboard (tabla de skate). It can also mean a plain wooden plank. By contrast, a blackboard or whiteboard is a pizarra and a board game is played on a tablero.
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