dar miedo
verbCEFR B1
What does “dar miedo” mean in English?
to be scared that, it frightens me that
to be scared that, it frightens me that (me da miedo que + subjunctive — gustar-type)
Example sentences
Me da miedo que no seamos capaces de terminar el proyecto a tiempo y que el cliente se enfade.
I'm scared that we won't be able to finish the project on time and that the client will get angry.
Le daba mucho miedo que sus padres se enteraran de lo que había hecho aquella noche.
He was very scared that his parents would find out what he had done that night.
Me da miedo viajar sola a un país donde no hablo el idioma y no conozco a nadie.
I'm scared of travelling alone to a country where I don't speak the language and don't know anyone.
How to use it
Dar miedo (que) means 'to be scared that' or 'to frighten that'. Like other dar + noun expressions, it follows the gustar-type pattern: indirect object + dar miedo + que + subjunctive. 'Me da miedo que no llegue' — the fact that she might not arrive is what frightens me. For same-subject fear, use dar miedo + infinitive: 'Me da miedo conducir de noche'. Temer (to fear) is near-synonymous in the que-clause construction but is slightly more literary.
Common mistake
The gustar-type frame applies: indirect object marks the person scared. *'Yo tengo miedo que no llegue' is possible but informal and uses indicative; the gustar-type 'me da miedo que no llegue' is the cleaner subjunctive-triggering pattern. For same-subject fear: me da miedo + infinitive (not que + subjunctive).