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Verb conjugation

dar miedo

to scare, to frighten

Usage

A fixed verb phrase meaning to be scary or frightening — used impersonally, with the person who's scared as an indirect object: eso me da miedo (that scares me), me da miedo la oscuridad (I'm afraid of the dark).

Examples
  • Esa película me dio mucho miedo.That movie scared me a lot.
  • Le da miedo hablar en público.She's afraid of speaking in public.
  • No te va a dar miedo, es un perro muy tranquilo.It won't scare you, he's a very calm dog.
Common mistake

Learners often reach for asustar when they mean dar miedo, or vice versa — dar miedo describes an inherent, often ongoing quality ("spiders scare me"), while asustar is more about a specific, sudden act of frightening someone.

Often confused with asustar.

Simple tenses

Imperative (imperativo)

nosotros-
vosotros-

Want to practice? Try a conjugation exercise.

Frequently asked questions

What does "dar miedo" mean?

"dar miedo" means "to scare, to frighten".

What is the Imperative (imperativo) of "dar miedo"?

The imperative (imperativo) of "dar miedo" is: nosotros -, vosotros -.