te voy a matar
/te boi a mataɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I am going to kill you" is translated into Spanish as te voy a matar.
This phrase is used to express a direct threat to end someone's life.
What does it mean word for word?
The structure of te voy a matar is te (you) + voy a (I am going) + matar (to kill).
Which one should you use?
You can also say voy a matarte, which is the same phrase but with the pronoun te attached to the end of the infinitive matar.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, when addressing a group of people informally, you use os voy a matar instead of te voy a matar. In Latin America, los voy a matar is used to address a group of people (you all) regardless of formality.
How does it change in a sentence?
To change the person being targeted, you can replace the pronoun te with other forms: use lo to say "I am going to kill him" (lo voy a matar) and use la to say "I am going to kill her" (la voy a matar).
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, te voy a matar is frequently used as a hyperbolic, non-literal expression of frustration or playful annoyance between friends and family.
- The verb matar may share a common ancestor with the Arabic word for 'to die', which is also the likely source of the second half of the English word 'checkmate'.
- In Spanish, there is a specific word matanza for a slaughter or massacre, but it is also the standard term for the traditional seasonal pig slaughter.
Examples in context
- ¡Te voy a matar!I am going to kill you!This example shows how to express the phrase te voy a matar as an exclamation.Tatoeba #1408546 by marcelostockle, translation #1135036 by shekitten
- Si vuelves a mentirme, te voy a matar.If you lie to me again, I am going to kill you.
- No te acerques, te voy a matar.Do not come closer, I am going to kill you.
Example conversation
A tense argument between a couple in a dark alley.
- Javier¡Te voy a matar!I am going to kill you!
- María¡No te atrevas, Javier!Don't you dare, Javier!
- JavierLo digo en serio.I am serious.
- María¡Aléjate de mí!Stay away from me!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, matar, te, voy, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
