sopetón / de sopetón

[poli]

Dictionaries state sopetón means a slap in the face, and de sopetón
means something that happens suddenly or an exabrupto. Is this a word you have heard in Latin American Spanish?

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

"De sopetón" is pretty common in Mexico.
- La noticia me cayó de sopetón. -> The news was not only unexpected but it upset me.
- Espera un poco, no se lo vayas a decir de sopetón. -> What you are going to say might have a bad effect on the other person.
- El cambio no fue de sopetón, sino gradual. -> The change didn't happen fast, but it was a long process.
- El agua cayó de sopetón y no pudimos salir de la casa antes de que se inundara. -> We got trapped by the flash flood in the house, as the waters rushed in before we could get out.