asustar

to frighten

to scare

asustar(ah-soos-tahr)

transitive verb

1. (to cause fear)

a. to frighten

¡El extraño ruido me asustó!

The weird noise frightened me!

b. to scare

Enciende una vela para asustar a los demonios.

Light a candle to scare the demons.

2. (to alarm)

a. to startle

Un grito espeluznante la asustó mientras dormía.

A bloodcurdling scream startled her awake.

asustarse

pronominal verb

3. (to experience fear)

a. to get frightened

Nos asustamos muchísimo con la explosión de la bomba.

We got terribly frightened when the bomb went off.

b. to be frightened

¡No te asustes! Son solo truenos.

Don't be frightened! It's just thunder.

4. (to experience concern)

a. to get worried

Me asusté cuando me di cuenta de que era tarde y María todavía no había llegado.

I got worried when I realized that it was late, and María had not arrived yet.

asustar

transitive verb

1. (general)

a. to frighten, to scare

¡me has asustado!you gave me a fright!

me asusta pensar que pueda tener razónthe scary thing is she may be right

pronominal verb

2. (tener miedo)

a. to be frightened

me asusté al verloI got a shock when I saw him

3. (preocuparse)

a. to get worried

no te asustes, seguro que no le ha pasado nada gravedon't get worried, I'm sure nothing bad has happened to him

Copyright © 2006 Harrap Publishers Limited

asustar

transitive verb

(causar miedo a) to frighten; scare; (espantar) to alarm; startle;

pronominal verb

asustarse to be frightened; get scared

asustarse de algo to be frightened by sth; get alarmed about sth; ¡no te asustes! don't be alarmed!; asustarse de hacer algo to be afraid o scared o frightened to do sth