I'm scared
Literally 'I am scared'. Use this when fear is a temporary state or feeling. Remember to match the ending: 'asustado' for men, 'asustada' for women.
Literally 'It gives me fear'. Use this structure to say what specifically is scaring you. For example, 'Me da miedo la oscuridad' (I'm scared of the dark).
An exclamation meaning 'How scary!' or 'That's scary!'. Use it as a reaction to something frightening you see or hear.
I don't want to go into that old house. I'm scared.
My daughter is scared because of the thunder.
Spiders scare me. Can you remove that one from the wall?
How scary! The car almost hit us.
'Tengo miedo' and 'Estoy asustado/a' are universally understood and are the most common ways to express fear.
Usage is identical to Latin America with 'Tengo miedo' and 'Estoy asustado/a'. You might hear 'Me da pánico' for a stronger sense of fear ('It gives me panic').
In addition to the standard phrases, 'Me da cosa' is a very common, slightly vague way to say something gives you a weird, often fearful, feeling.
While 'Tengo miedo' is standard, you might hear the colloquial 'Tengo julepe' in casual conversation among friends.
Using 'ser' instead of 'estar'. Saying '*Soy asustado*' is incorrect. — Fear is a temporary state or feeling, not a permanent characteristic. Always use 'estar': 'Estoy asustado/a'.
Translating 'I am scared' literally as '*Estoy miedo*'. — In Spanish, you 'have' fear. The correct structure is 'Tengo miedo' (I have fear). Think of it like 'Tengo hambre' (I'm hungry).
Forgetting gender agreement with 'asustado/a'. A female speaker saying '*Estoy asustado*'. — Adjectives in Spanish must match the gender of the person they describe. Use 'asustado' if you identify as male and 'asustada' if you identify as female.
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