asustar Imperfect Conjugation
asustar — to scare
The imperfect 'asustaba', 'asustabas' etc. describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
asustar Imperfect Forms
When to Use the Imperfect
Use the imperfect tense for ongoing actions in the past ('El perro nos asustaba' - The dog used to scare us / was scaring us), descriptions in the past ('La casa oscura me asustaba' - The dark house used to scare me), or habitual actions ('Siempre me asustaba con las tormentas' - I always got scared during storms).
Notes on asustar in the Imperfect
Asustar is regular in the imperfect tense. It follows the standard -ar verb pattern for this tense.
Example Sentences
Cuando era niño, el coco me asustaba.
When I was a child, the bogeyman used to scare me.
yo
Tú te asustabas por cualquier cosa.
You used to get scared by anything.
tú
La música de terror nos asustaba a todos.
The horror music used to scare all of us.
nosotros
Ellos se asustaban con las películas de miedo.
They used to get scared by scary movies.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite instead of the imperfect for descriptions or ongoing past actions.
Correct: Use 'asustaba' for descriptions ('La sombra me asustaba') or ongoing actions ('El ruido nos asustaba'), not 'asustó'.
Why: The imperfect describes the background or the state of being, while the preterite describes a completed event.
Mistake: Confusing 'asustaba' (imperfect) with 'asustó' (preterite).
Correct: 'Asustaba' implies duration or habit ('used to scare'), while 'asustó' implies a single, completed event ('scared').
Why: These tenses have distinct functions in describing past events.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: asusto
The present tense 'asusto', 'asustas', 'asusta' is regular and used for current, habitual, or general truths.
Preterite
yo: asusté
The preterite 'asusté', 'asustaste', 'asustó' etc. describes completed actions in the past.
Future
yo: asustaré
The future tense 'asustaré', 'asustarás', 'asustará' etc. is regular and formed by adding endings to the infinitive.
Conditional
yo: asustaría
The conditional 'asustaría', 'asustarías' etc. expresses 'would' actions, polite requests, or future-in-the-past.
Present Subjunctive
yo: asuste
Use 'asuste', 'asusten', 'asustemos' after wishes, doubts, emotions, and impersonal expressions.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: asustara
Use 'asustara' or 'asustase' for past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts.
Affirmative Imperative
yo: asusta
Use 'asusta', 'asusten', 'asustemos', 'asustad' for direct commands with 'asustar'.
Negative Imperative
yo: no asustes
Use 'no asustes', 'no asusten', 'no asustemos', 'no asustéis' for negative commands.