Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| matar | /maˈtaɾ/ |
| asesinar | /asesiˈnaɾ/ |
While the primary meaning is to kill or murder, Spanish offers several informal and slang ways to express dominating a situation or excelling. You can use Arrasar informally to mean 'to sweep away' or 'to storm through' when someone is dominating a situation, Lucirse informally to mean 'to show off' when someone is effortlessly excelling or the slang Petarlo to mean 'to nail it' or 'to crush it'.
Which one should you use?
The choice between forms depends on the context of the killing. matar is the general verb for 'to kill' and can be used for any context, including animals or insects. In contrast, asesinar is used specifically for the premeditated or criminal act of murder or assassination.
How does it change in a sentence?
In terms of conjugation, mató is the third-person singular preterite form of matar (he/she killed) and matando is the gerund used to express an ongoing action (killing).
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈtaɾ/
Did you know?
- The Spanish term for 'assassin', asesino, is believed to have originated from the Arabic word for 'Hashshashin', a group of historical political killers.
- While matar is the general term, the phrase matar el hambre is used when someone is simply very hungry and wants to eat something.
Examples in context
- Ella siempre arrasa en la pista de baileShe always slays on the dance floor
- ¡Hoy petaste el examen!You totally nailed the exam today!
- Ella siempre logra lucirse con su estiloShe always manages to show off with her style
- El león mató a la gacela.The lion killed the gazelle.
- El criminal fue arrestado tras asesinar al guardia.The criminal was arrested after murdering the guard.
- El cazador quiere matar al lobo.The hunter wants to kill the wolf.
- Ese insecticida puede matar a las cucarachas.That insecticide can kill the cockroaches.
- No quiero matar a mi mascota.I don't want to kill my pet.
Example conversation
Alejandro and María are discussing a movie plot.
- Alejandro¿Crees que el villano va a matar al protagonista?Do you think the villain is going to kill the protagonist?
- MaríaNo, creo que el héroe sobrevivirá.No, I think the hero will survive.
- AlejandroEs una película muy intensa.It is a very intense movie.
- MaríaSí, la tensión es constante.Yes, the tension is constant.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “slay” translations and entries matar, asesinar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries asesinar, matar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
