estás muerto
/estas mweɾto/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'you're dead' is translated into Spanish as estás muerto.
This phrase is used to state that someone is no longer alive.
Which one should you use?
The phrase uses the verb estar instead of ser because being dead is treated as a state or condition in this context.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, Estás en el otro barrio means "You're in the other neighborhood."
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must change to the feminine form estás muerta if the person being addressed is female. To say 'you're dead' to someone using the formal 'usted', use está muerto.
Did you know?
- The adjective muerto can describe food, such as pan muerto, which refers to a specific type of traditional bread used in celebrations.
- The word muerto is a distant linguistic cousin of the Bengali word mrito and the Hindi word mrittu.
- The word muerto is used in the common expression muerto de hambre, which literally means 'dead of hunger' but is used to call someone a beggar or very poor.
Examples in context
- Una palabra más, y estás muerto.One more word, and you're dead!This sentence shows how the phrase can be used as a threat.Tatoeba #2964179 by migeels, translation #2964430 by astyng
- ¡Un movimiento en falso y estás muerto/muerta!One false move and you're dead.This sentence demonstrates the use of the phrase in a figurative way regarding a mistake.Tatoeba #1319622 by massama, translation #9130911 by gluis
- Estás muerto.You're dead.This is a simple literal statement of the phrase.Tatoeba #2722772 by ikarias, translation #4228959 by Spheniscine
Example conversation
Mateo and María are playing a high-stakes game of hide and seek.
- MateoSi te encuentro, estás muerto.If I find you, you're dead.
- María¡No me vas a encontrar, Mateo!You are not going to find me, Mateo!
- MateoYa te vi, ¡estás muerto!I already saw you, you're dead!
- María¡Qué mala suerte tengo!I'm so unlucky!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries muerto, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
