asustar Preterite Conjugation
asustar — to scare
The preterite 'asusté', 'asustaste', 'asustó' etc. describes completed actions in the past.
asustar Preterite Forms
When to Use the Preterite
Use the preterite for actions that started and finished at a specific point in the past. For example, 'El trueno me asustó' (The thunder scared me) - it happened and it's over. Contrast this with the imperfect, which describes ongoing or habitual past actions.
Notes on asustar in the Preterite
Asustar is regular in the preterite tense. All forms follow the standard -ar verb pattern for this tense.
Example Sentences
El grito repentino me asustó.
The sudden scream scared me.
él/ella/usted
Cuando vi la araña, me asusté mucho.
When I saw the spider, I got very scared.
yo
¿Te asustaste con la película de terror?
Did you get scared by the horror movie?
tú
Los niños se asustaron por los fuegos artificiales.
The children got scared by the fireworks.
ellos/ellas/ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the imperfect instead of the preterite for a single, completed past action.
Correct: Use 'me asustó' (preterite) for a specific instance of being scared, not 'me asustaba' (imperfect).
Why: The preterite marks the completion of the action, while the imperfect suggests duration or repetition.
Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the yo form.
Correct: The 'yo' form is 'asusté', with an accent on the final 'é'.
Why: The accent distinguishes the preterite 'yo' form from other similar verb forms and indicates the stress on the final syllable.
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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.
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.
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.