diff --git a/.config/espanso/match/base.yml b/.config/espanso/match/base.yml
index 8cc92502..53f5105d 100644
--- a/.config/espanso/match/base.yml
+++ b/.config/espanso/match/base.yml
@@ -108,7 +108,12 @@ matches:
     replace: "() => {}"
 
   - trigger: ";try"
-    replace: "try {} catch(error) {}"
+    replace: "{{output}}"
+    vars:
+      - name: output
+        type: shell
+        params:
+          cmd: "~/scripts/trycatch ; echo ''"
 
   - trigger: ";def"
     replace: "def():"
diff --git a/scripts/trycatch b/scripts/trycatch
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..1fa7ec6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/trycatch
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# use in conjunction with espanso to automatically print a javascript
+# try/catch statement
+cat <<EOM
+try {
+
+catch (err) {
+
+EOM
\ No newline at end of file