te voy a matar
/te boi a mataɾ/from spelling rules
The English phrase "I will kill you" is translated into Spanish as te voy a matar.
This phrase is used as a threat to express an intention to end someone's life.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te voy a matar literally translates to "I am going to kill you" using a periphrastic future construction.
Which one should you use?
While te voy a matar uses a periphrastic construction, the form te mataré uses the simple future tense and is a more direct translation of "I will kill you".
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking contexts, te voy a matar is frequently used as a hyperbolic expression of frustration or playful annoyance rather than a literal death threat.
- If the Arabic root connection for matar is correct, the verb is a distant relative of the second half of the English word 'checkmate'.
- In some dialects, using the simple future te mataré instead of te voy a matar can make a threat sound more cinematic, formal, or unnervingly cold.
Examples in context
- Te voy a matar si me robas.I am going to kill you if you rob me.
- Si vuelves a tocar mis cosas, te voy a matar.If you touch my things again, I am going to kill you.
- ¡Te voy a matar!I am going to kill you!
Example conversation
Two people are playing a very intense video game together.
- Elena¡Te voy a matar en el juego!I am going to kill you in the game!
- MateoNo puedes alcanzarme, Elena.You cannot catch me, Elena.
- Elena¡Ya verás, te voy a matar pronto!You'll see, I am going to kill you soon!
- MateoSuerte con eso, Elena.Good luck with that, Elena.
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.
