eu vou te matar
In Portuguese, "I will kill you" is eu vou te matar.
This phrase is a threat used to tell someone that you intend to end their life.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, eu vou te matar is constructed as "I go you to kill".
Which one should you use?
Vou te matar is an informal way to say 'I will kill you'. In many Brazilian dialects, it is common to use eu vou matar você as the object instead of the unstressed pronoun te.
How does it change in a sentence?
In formal written Portuguese or highly formal speech, the object pronoun te is replaced by the enclitic -lo attached to the infinitive, such as in eu vou matá-lo.
Did you know?
- In some regional contexts, saying vou te matar with a specific playful intonation can be a way of expressing that someone is 'too cute' or 'adorable'.
- In Brazil, the phrase vou te matar is frequently used as a hyperbolic joke among friends or when someone is mildly annoyed, rather than as a literal death threat.
- In Portuguese, the phrase matar a sede literally means 'to kill the thirst', but it is the standard way to say 'to quench one's thirst'.
Examples in context
- Eu vou te matar se você contar meu segredo.I will kill you if you tell my secret.
- Se você encostar no meu carro, eu vou te matar.If you touch my car, I will kill you.
- Eu vou te matar, seu mentiroso!I will kill you, you liar!
Example conversation
Two actors are rehearsing a high-intensity dramatic scene for a movie.
- FelipeEu vou te matar!I will kill you!
- BeatrizNão faça isso, Felipe!Don't do that, Felipe!
- FelipeSua atuação está muito boa, Beatriz.Your acting is very good, Beatriz.
- BeatrizObrigada, você foi muito assustador.Thank you, you were very scary.
