matagatos
/mataɡatos/from spelling rules
The English phrase "cat killer" is translated into Spanish as matagatos.
The term is used to refer to a cat killer.
What does it mean word for word?
matagatos is a compound formed from the verb matar (to kill) and the noun gatos (cats).
How does it change in a sentence?
matagatos is a compound noun that functions as a single unit. This means the gatos part is not treated as a separate object of the verb within a sentence structure, but is part of the noun itself.
How do you pronounce it?
/mataɡatos/
Did you know?
- While matagatos describes a person, the same linguistic pattern creates words for objects, such as matamoscas for a flyswatter.
- The word matagatos belongs to a class of nouns that do not change their form between singular and plural, meaning un matagatos and dos matagatos look identical.
- In Spanish, the verb matar can be used in phrases like me mato de risa to mean 'I am dying of laughter', showing how the root of matagatos is often used for exaggeration.
Examples in context
- Evidence suggests that an individual in the neighborhood may be an "asesino de gatos."Evidence suggests that an individual in the neighborhood may be a "cat killer."
- Ese hombre es un matagatos.That man is a cat killer.
- No quiero ser un matagatos.I do not want to be a cat killer.
Example conversation
Javier and Lucía are discussing a mean neighbor.
- JavierLucía, ¿viste lo que hizo el vecino?Lucía, did you see what the neighbor did?
- LucíaSí, es un matagatos cruel.Yes, he is a cruel cat killer.
- JavierEs horrible que sea un matagatos.It is horrible that he is a cat killer.
- LucíaDebemos denunciarlo pronto.We must report him soon.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
