65.2 Other ways of expressing fear
The following expressions are highly colloquial and very common in contexts such as
the present one.
Tengo verdadero pánico.
I’m really afraid.
¡Qué miedo/susto pasamos!
We were so frightened.
Estábamos temblando de miedo.
We were trembling with fear.
Estoy muerto/a de miedo/del susto.
I’m really scared.
Casi me muero de miedo.
I am almost dying of fright.
Me da (mucho) miedo entrar allí.
I’m (very) afraid to go in there.Me llevé un susto de pedre y señor mio.
I got the fright of my life.
Se llevó un susto de muerte.
He/she had the fright of his/her life.
Después del accidente le cogí/agarré miedo al coche.
After the accident I became scared of the car.Note that the word coger, in other contexts meaning ‘to take’, ‘to catch’ (e.g. coger un
autobús, ‘to catch a bus’) is a taboo word in some Latin American countries, for
example Mexico, Argentina, and it should be avoided there.Other ways of expressing fear 65.2