Inklingo

How to Say "scare" in Spanish

English → Spanish

asustes

/ah-SOOS-tess//aˈsustes/

verbA2informal
Use this when you want to tell someone not to be scared, or to express a wish that someone does not become frightened.
A child wearing a white sheet with eye holes jumping out from behind a large green armchair to surprise a friend.

Examples

No quiero que te asustes con la noticia.

I don't want you to get scared by the news.

No te asustes, soy solo yo.

Don't be scared, it's just me.

Espero que no asustes al gato con ese ruido.

I hope you don't scare the cat with that noise.

The 'No' Rule

When you tell someone NOT to do something (a negative command), the verb ending swaps. Since 'asustar' is an -ar verb, it uses -es for the 'you' form: 'No te asustes'.

Expressing Feelings

Use 'asustes' after phrases like 'I hope that...' (Espero que...) or 'I don't want you to...' (No quiero que...).

Asustas vs. Asustes

Mistake: “No te asustas.”

Correction: No te asustes.

miedo

/myeh-doh//ˈmje.ðo/

nounA2
Use this to express the general feeling or state of being afraid of something, often a prolonged emotion or a phobia.
A small, wide-eyed child is huddled under a brightly colored blanket, looking nervously at the floor where long, exaggerated blue shadows are cast by an unseen light source.

Examples

Tengo miedo de la oscuridad.

I'm afraid of the dark.

El niño gritó de miedo al ver el monstruo.

The child screamed with fear upon seeing the monster.

No tengas miedo, es solo un perro pequeño.

Don't be afraid, it's just a small dog.

Using 'Tener' for Fear

In Spanish, you don't 'are' afraid, you 'have' fear. Always use the verb tener (to have). For example, 'Tengo miedo' (I have fear) literally, means 'I am afraid'.

Saying What You're Afraid OF

To say what you're afraid of, use tener miedo a or tener miedo de. Both are correct! For example, Tengo miedo a las arañas or Tengo miedo de las arañas both mean 'I'm afraid of spiders'.

Saying 'Soy miedo'

Mistake: “A common mistake is saying 'Soy miedo' to mean 'I am afraid'.”

Correction: The correct way is 'Tengo miedo'. Remember, in Spanish, fear is something you *have*, not something you *are*.

susto

SOOS-toh/ˈsusto/

nounA2
Use this to describe a sudden, unexpected feeling of fear or shock caused by a surprising event or action.
A small, cartoonish rabbit character stands frozen, eyes wide and ears straight up, showing a sudden jolt of surprise and fear.

Examples

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

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

Mi abuela se llevó un susto terrible con la tormenta.

My grandmother got a terrible scare from the storm.

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

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

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).

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').

Noun vs. Verb Confusion

Learners often confuse 'miedo' and 'susto' because both are nouns related to fear. Remember that 'miedo' is the general feeling of fear, while 'susto' is the specific, sudden shock or fright. 'Asustes' is the only verb form here, used for commands or wishes not to be scared.

Related Translations

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