tan aterrador
/tan ateradoɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "so scary" is translated into Spanish as tan aterrador.
tan aterrador is used to describe something that causes a great deal of fear.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase tan aterrador, tan means "so" or "as" and aterrador means "scary" or "terrifying".
Which one should you use?
While tan aterrador translates to "so scary" (often used in comparisons or for emphasis), the standard way to say "very scary" is muy aterrador.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes to match the gender and number of the noun being described. Use tan aterradora if the noun is feminine, tan aterradores if the noun is masculine and plural and tan aterradoras if the noun is feminine and plural.
How do you pronounce it?
/tan ateradoɾ/
Did you know?
- If you find a person or thing extremely unattractive, you might describe it as aterrador or even espantoso in certain Spanish dialects. In these contexts, the word shifts from describing literal fear to describing something aesthetically shocking or hideous.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, if someone describes a situation as tan aterrador, a natural spontaneous reaction is to exclaim ¡Qué susto! This translates to 'What a fright!' and focuses on the shock felt rather than the quality of the thing itself.
- While aterrador is quite heavy and dramatic, a Spanish speaker is much more likely to use espantoso for everyday scares. This comes from the verb espantar, which implies startling someone or scaring them away.
Examples in context
- La película de terror que vi ayer era tan espantosa que no pude dormir bien.The horror movie I watched yesterday was so scary that I couldn't sleep well.
- Escuchar esos ruidos en la casa vacía es realmente aterrador.Listening to those noises in the empty house is really terrifying.
- Esa historia de fantasmas da mucho miedo, especialmente cuando estás solo en casa.That ghost story is very frightening, especially when you're home alone.
- La forma en que esa figura se movía en el video era verdaderamente escalofriante.The way that figure moved in the video was truly chilling.
- El payaso en la película de terror da un miedo terrible.The clown in the horror movie is terribly scary.
- La casa abandonada en la esquina es de miedo.The abandoned house on the corner is scary.
- La historia de ese asesino en serie da mucho yuyu.The story of that serial killer is really creepy.
- Ese ruido es tan aterrador.That noise is so scary.
- El silencio de la noche es tan aterrador.The silence of the night is so scary.
- Ver esa película fue tan aterrador.Watching that movie was so scary.
Example conversation
María and Mateo are walking through a dark park at night.
- MaríaEste parque de noche es tan aterrador.This park at night is so scary.
- MateoNo tengas miedo, María, estoy contigo.Don't be afraid, María, I am with you.
- MaríaPero las sombras son muy extrañas.But the shadows are very strange.
- MateoVamos a casa rápido para que estés tranquila.Let's go home quickly so you can be calm.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
