殺してやる
koroshite yaru
To say "I will kill you" in Japanese, you use 殺してやる (koroshite yaru).
This phrase is a threat used to express a strong intention to murder someone.
Which one should you use?
Compared to the more neutral koroshimasu (I will kill), 殺してやる carries a much stronger sense of personal intent and hostility.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The use of yaru makes this phrase sound highly aggressive, masculine or rough. It is commonly heard in fiction or heated confrontations rather than polite conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject "I" and the object "you" are omitted, which is standard in Japanese when the context of the threat is clear.
How do you pronounce it?
koroshite yaru
Did you know?
- The verb yaru in koroshite yaru can literally mean 'to give' or 'to do' for someone of lower status, making the threat feel like the speaker is 'bestowing' death upon the victim.
- Using a polite form like koroshimasu instead of the rougher koroshite yaru can actually make a threat feel more chilling and calculated.
- In Japanese media, a character might say this phrase without actually intending to commit murder, using it instead as an exaggerated way to say 'I will get you back'.
Examples in context
- 絶対に殺してやる。Zettai ni koroshite yaru.I will definitely kill you.
- お前を殺してやる。Omae o koroshite yaru.I will kill you.
- 今すぐ殺してやる！Ima sugu koroshite yaru!I will kill you right now!
Example conversation
Two rivals are facing off in a heated argument.
- 美咲 Misakiもう我慢できない。殺してやる！Mō gaman dekinai. Koroshite yaru!I can't stand it anymore. I'll kill you!
- 蓮 Renやってみろよ。Yatte miro yo.Give it a try.
- 美咲 Misakiふざけるな！Fuzakeru na!Don't mess with me!
- 蓮 Ren口だけだな。Kuchi dake da na.All talk, aren't you?
