How to Say "frightened" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “frightened” is “asustado” — use 'asustado' when you want to describe someone or something as being scared or frightened.
asustado
ah-soos-TAH-dohasustaðo
Examples
El niño estaba asustado por la tormenta.
The boy was scared by the storm.
¿Estás asustada? No te preocupes, yo te protejo.
Are you scared (feminine)? Don't worry, I will protect you.
Los perros se quedaron asustados después de los fuegos artificiales.
The dogs remained frightened after the fireworks.
Gender and Number Agreement
As an adjective, 'asustado' must change its ending to match the person or thing it describes: asustado (masculine singular), asustada (feminine singular), asustados (masculine plural), asustadas (feminine plural).
Using ESTAR
You almost always use 'estar' (to be) with 'asustado' because it describes a temporary feeling or a current emotional state, not a permanent characteristic.
Forgetting Agreement
Mistake: “La niña estaba asustado.”
Correction: La niña estaba asustada. (The adjective must match the feminine noun 'niña'.)
Using SER instead of ESTAR
Mistake: “Yo soy asustado.”
Correction: Yo estoy asustado. (Use 'estar' for temporary feelings, unless you mean someone is permanently a scary person, which is very rare.)
asustó
Examples
El trueno asustó al bebé y empezó a llorar.
The thunder scared the baby, and it started crying.
Adjective vs. Verb Confusion
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