erschrecken

er- +‎ schrecken

• IPA^(key): /ɛʁˈʃʁɛkən/, [ɛɐ̯ˈʃʁɛkən], [ɛɐ̯ˈʃʁɛkŋ̍]
• Hyphenation: er‧schre‧cken

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erschrecken (class 4 strong, third-person singular present erschrickt, past tense erschrak, past participle erschrocken, past subjunctive erschräke, auxiliary sein or (colloquial) haben)

1. (standard, intransitive) to be frightened; to be startled [auxiliary sein]

   Ich bin erschrocken. ― I got scared.

2. (chiefly colloquial, reflexive) to be frightened; to be startled [auxiliary haben]

   Ich habe mich erschrocken. ― I got scared.

3. (dated, transitive) to frighten; to scare (someone) [auxiliary haben]
   • Heinrich von Kleist, Mädchenrätsel

     Bebt er, ihr Schwestern, was, / Redet, erschrickt ihn?

     When he quakes, you sisters, what, / Speak, scares him?

In the modern standard language there is a split between the strong intransitive verb and the weak transitive/reflexive verb (see below). However, the strong verb may also be used reflexively, albeit chiefly in the vernacular. In older German, the strong verb was even used transitively.

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erschrecken (weak, third-person singular present erschreckt, past tense erschreckte, past participle erschreckt, auxiliary haben)

1. (transitive) to frighten; to scare (someone)

   Du hast mich erschreckt. ― You scared me.

2. (reflexive) to be frightened; to be startled

   Ich habe mich erschreckt. ― I got scared.

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• abschrecken
• aufschrecken
• verschrecken

• aufscheuchen
• verscheuchen
• vertreiben
• vergrämen
• vergrätzen

• “erschrecken” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “erschrecken” in Uni Leipzig: Wortschatz-Lexikon
• “erschrecken” in Duden online
• “erschrecken” in OpenThesaurus.de