When someone asks, “Did I startle you?“, they’re asking if they’ve accidentally scared or surprised you. It’s like asking if they’ve made you jump because you weren’t expecting them.
Here are two examples in sentences:
Example 1:
Sarah entered the room quietly, but her brother still jumped. “Did I startle you?” she asked.
Example 2:
Mike noticed his friend’s surprised reaction when he came up from behind. “Did I startle you?” he asked.
Now, let’s see two examples in a conversation:
Example 3:
Emma: Hi, Tom! You look shocked.
Tom: Oh, Emma, you did startle me. I didn’t hear you come in.
Example 4:
Lucy: Hey, John! You jumped!
John: You scared me, Lucy! Yes, you did startle me.
So, when someone asks “Did I startle you?“, they’re wondering if they’ve unintentionally frightened or surprised you. It’s usually asked after someone jumps, screams, or shows some other sign of being scared or surprised.
