asustar
/ah-soos-TAR/
to scare
To scare someone is 'asustar', like a ghost surprising a friend.
asustar(verb)
to scare
?to make someone feel afraid
to frighten
?a slightly more formal way to say scare
,to startle
?to surprise someone suddenly
📝 In Action
No me asustes así.
A1Don't scare me like that.
El ruido asustó al gato.
A1The noise scared the cat.
Ese perro asusta a los niños.
A2That dog scares the children.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'asustar' like 'gustar'
You can say 'me asusta' to mean 'it scares me.' The thing that is scary is the subject, and the person feeling the fear is the one receiving the action.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Scared vs. Scaring
Mistake: "Saying 'Estoy asustar' to mean 'I am scared.'"
Correction: Use 'Estoy asustado' (I am scared) for the feeling, and 'asustar' only for the action of scaring someone.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'a' rule
When you scare a specific person, remember to put 'a' before their name or the word for the person, like 'Asusté a María'.
To get scared is also 'asustar', like a kitten jumping at a surprise.
asustar(verb)
to get scared
?when you become afraid
to be frightened
?the process of becoming scared
📝 In Action
Me asusté cuando se apagó la luz.
A1I got scared when the light went out.
Ellos se asustan con las películas de terror.
A2They get scared with horror movies.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'Self' Form
When you add 'se' to the end (asustarse), the action happens back to the person doing it. It turns 'to scare' into 'to get scared'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Talking about yourself
Always match the little 'me, te, se' word to the person. 'Yo me asusto' (I get scared), 'Tú te asustas' (You get scared).
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
present
imperfect
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: asustar
Question 1 of 1
How do you say 'I got scared'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'asustar' and 'espantar'?
They are very similar! 'Asustar' is the general word for scaring. 'Espantar' often implies scaring something away, like scaring birds out of a garden.