asustar

Asustar is a Spanish transitive verb meaning to frighten or scare someone. It requires a direct object, typically a person or animal, and is commonly used with the construction asustar a + person. The action can also describe something that causes fear in someone, as in “La noticia asustó a la ciudad.”

The reflexive form asustarse means to become frightened oneself or to get scared. A frequent usage expresses personal fear, for example: “Me asusta la oscuridad.” The verb can also appear in impersonal constructions with a clitic pronoun, as in “Eso me asusta” (That scares me).

Conjugation overview (presented in typical forms): Present indicative: asusto, asustas, asusta, asustamos, asustáis, asustan. Preterite: asusté, asustaste, asustó, asustamos, asustasteis, asustaron. Imperfect: asustaba, asustabas, asustaba, asustábamos, asustabais, asustaban. Future: asustaré, asustarás, asustará, asustaremos, asustaréis, asustarán. Subjunctive present: asuste, asustes, asuste, asustemos, asustéis, asusten. Imperative: asusta (tú), asuste (usted), asustemos (nosotros), asustad (vosotros), asusten (ustedes). Gerund: asando? No; asustando. Past participle: asustado.

Etymology and related terms: The verb is derived from the noun susto, meaning fright or scare, with the productive -ar suffix. In use, asustar shares semantic space with synonyms such as espantar and sobresaltar, though each can carry slightly different connotations: espantar can imply scaring someone away, while sobresaltar emphasizes a sudden startle.

See also: espantar, sobresaltar, asustarse, susto.