Inklingo
← Dictionary
A small, cartoonish rabbit character stands frozen, eyes wide and ears straight up, showing a sudden jolt of surprise and fear.

susto

SOOS-toh

nounmA2
fright?a sudden, brief feeling of fear,scare?a sudden startling surprise
Also:shock?emotional impact of a surprise

📝 In Action

¡Qué susto me diste! Pensé que era un ladrón.

A1

What a fright you gave me! I thought it was a thief.

Mi abuela se llevó un susto terrible con la tormenta.

A2

My grandmother got a terrible scare from the storm.

Después del susto, le ofrecí un vaso de agua para calmarla.

B1

After the shock, I offered her a glass of water to calm her down.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • sobresalto (startle)
  • espanto (dread/terror (stronger))

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • dar un susto – to give someone a scare
  • llevarse un susto – to get/receive a scare
  • dejar el susto – to get over the fright

Idioms & Expressions

  • el susto de mi vida – the scare of my life

💡 Grammar Points

Using Susto: Giving and Getting

To say someone gave you a fright, use dar (Me diste un susto). To say you received a fright, the most common verb is llevarse (Me llevé un susto).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Susto vs. Miedo

Mistake: "Using 'Tengo susto' for general fear."

Correction: *Susto* is for a sudden, temporary shock (like a jump scare). For a general, continuous feeling of fear, use *miedo* ('Tengo miedo').

⭐ Usage Tips

Quick Reactions

When startled, you can quickly exclaim '¡Qué susto!' or '¡Qué susto me has dado!' (What a scare you've given me!)

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: susto

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly describes a sudden, brief surprise?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

asustar(to frighten) - verb
asustado(frightened) - adjective
sustito(small scare (diminutive)) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

If I want to apologize for scaring someone, what should I say?

You should use the verb *dar* (to give). You would say: 'Perdón, no quería darte un susto' (Sorry, I didn't want to give you a scare).