Asustas

Asustas is the second-person singular present indicative form of the Spanish verb asustar, meaning you scare or you frighten. It is used when the subject is the informal pronoun tú, for example, “Tú asustas a los niños con esa historia.”

Asustar is a transitive verb that takes a direct object representing what causes fear. In a typical sentence, the object is what is being frightened, as in “Tú asustas a los niños” (you scare the children). The verb can describe both literal and figurative fear, depending on context, such as causing surprise or alarm.

Etymology and related forms: asustar derives from the noun susto, meaning fright or scare. The relation to susto is reflected in related forms in other Iberian Romance languages; for instance, the Portuguese verb assustar shares a similar meaning and origin. Derived forms include asustado (frightened), asustando (frightening), and susto as a standalone noun.

Usage notes: Asustas appears in everyday speech across Spanish-speaking regions. Like other verb forms, its use depends on the subject and tense. It is common in informal conversation; formal addressing would use different verb forms (for example, usted asusta for the formal you in the present tense, and tú asustas in the informal).

See also: Susto, asustar, asustado, asustamiento.