1. be afraid of sth (sb) 害怕某事(某人)。如:
Are you afraid of dogs? 你害狗吗?
There’s nothing to be afraid of. 没什么可害怕的。
比较:
He is afraid of her. 他怕她。
He is afraid with her. 跟她在一起时,他很害怕。
2. be afraid of doing sth
(1) 担心会发生某事或某情况(但实际上未必会发生)。如:
She was afraid of waking her husband. 她怕吵醒她丈夫。
I was afraid of hurting her feelings. 我怕伤害她的感情。
注:be afraid of doing sth 表示担心会发生某事或某情况时,其后也可用 be afraid that 替换。如:
He was afraid of losing face. =He was afraid (that) he’d lose face. 他怕失面子。
(2) 害怕做某事或不敢做某事(指缺乏勇气或害怕其后果而不敢)。如:
I’m afraid of telling her. 我不敢告诉她。
He was afraid of jumping. 他不敢跳。
3. be afraid to do sth 害怕做某事或不敢做某事。如:
He was afraid to fly in a plane. 他不敢坐飞机。
He was afraid to go into the house and meet his father. 他不敢进屋去见他父亲。
注:以上两类句型的异同之处:表示担心会发生某事或某情况,只能用 be afraid of doing sth, 而表示害怕做某事或不敢做某事等,则两者都可用。如:
Don’t be afraid to ask [of asking] question. 不要害怕问问题。
He is afraid to go out [of going out] alone at night. 他不敢晚上一个人出去。