assusta, sobressalta, surpreende
1. Third person singular present tense of 'startle': to surprise or alarm someone suddenly
The sudden noise startles the cat.
O barulho repentino assusta o gato.
2. To cause someone to make a sudden involuntary movement or cry out in surprise
Nothing startles her anymore because she's very calm.
Nada a sobressalta mais porque ela é muito calma.
3. To disturb or interrupt suddenly
The phone call startles him from his concentration.
A ligação o surpreende durante sua concentração.
In American English, 'startles' is commonly used in everyday conversation to describe unexpected surprises. In Brazilian Portuguese, 'assusta' is the most natural equivalent, while 'sobressalta' is more formal. The concept of being startled is culturally universal, but Americans tend to use it more frequently in casual speech than Portuguese speakers.
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