Afraid Of or Afraid About? The Simple Trick to Sound More Natural in English

 

Afraid of or Afraid about?  The correct preposition is “afraid of.”

Here’s a quick guide to help you remember:

• Correct: I’m afraid of spiders.

• Incorrect: I’m afraid about spiders.

👉 Use “afraid of” when talking about the thing, person, or situation that causes fear.

She’s afraid of flying.
He’s afraid of the dark.

👉 Use “afraid about” only in rare cases when talking about worry or concern for something that might happen:

She’s afraid about losing her job.
I’m afraid about the exam results.

But even in those “worry” cases, native speakers more often say “worried about” or “concerned about” — so “afraid about” sounds unnatural most of the time.