asustar Imperfect Subjunctive Conjugation
asustar — to scare
Use 'asustara' or 'asustase' for past hypotheticals, wishes, or doubts.
asustar Imperfect Subjunctive Forms
When to Use the Imperfect Subjunctive
The imperfect subjunctive is used for hypothetical situations in the past, or to express wishes, doubts, or emotions about past events. For example, 'If he scared me...' or 'I wish she would scare him...'.
Notes on asustar in the Imperfect Subjunctive
Asustar is regular in the imperfect subjunctive. Both the -ra and -se forms are correct (e.g., asustara/asustase, asustaras/asustases). The -ra form is more common.
Example Sentences
Si él me asustara, habría gritado.
If he scared me, I would have screamed.
él/ella/usted
Me sorprendió que la película me asustara tanto.
It surprised me that the movie scared me so much.
yo
Ojalá no nos asustaran los ruidos.
I wish the noises wouldn't scare us.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
¿Creías que yo te asustaría?
Did you think I would scare you?
yo
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the preterite or imperfect indicative instead of the imperfect subjunctive.
Correct: Use 'asustara' or 'asustase' in clauses expressing doubt, emotion, or hypotheticals about the past.
Why: The indicative tenses describe facts, while the subjunctive is for non-factual or subjective situations.
Mistake: Confusing the -ra and -se endings.
Correct: Both 'asustara' and 'asustase' are correct for the imperfect subjunctive, but '-ra' is more common.
Why: Spanish has two forms for the imperfect subjunctive, but they are interchangeable.
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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.
Imperfect
yo: asustaba
The imperfect 'asustaba', 'asustabas' etc. describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
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.
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.