asesina
/ah-seh-SEE-nah/
murderer
As a noun, asesina refers to a female murderer or killer.
asesina(noun)
murderer
?female killer
,assassin
?female political killer
killer
?general term for a female who kills
📝 In Action
La policía busca a la asesina que escapó anoche.
B1The police are looking for the female murderer who escaped last night.
Dicen que fue una asesina a sueldo, una profesional.
B2They say she was a hired assassin, a professional.
💡 Grammar Points
Gender Matching
Since this word refers to a female person, you must use the feminine article 'la' or 'una' before it.
⭐ Usage Tips
Masculine Form
The male equivalent is 'asesino'. Remember that the action of killing is 'asesinato'.
Used as a verb in the third person singular, asesina means 'he/she murders'.
asesina(verb)
he/she murders
?Present tense, third person singular
,you murder
?Present tense, formal 'usted' form
murder!
?Formal command ('usted' imperative)
📝 In Action
El villano asesina a su rival con un veneno rápido.
A2The villain murders his rival with a quick poison.
Si usted no lo hace, ¿quién asesina la esperanza?
B2If you don't do it, who kills the hope?
💡 Grammar Points
Regular Verb Pattern
'Asesinar' is a regular '-ar' verb, meaning it follows the most common Spanish verb pattern for all its tenses.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing the Verb and Noun
Mistake: "Using 'asesina' when you mean 'he murdered' (asesinó)."
Correction: 'Asesina' is only the present tense form. For past actions, use 'asesinó' (preterite) or 'asesinaba' (imperfect).
When used as an adjective, asesina describes something, like a look or intent, as being murderous.
asesina(adjective)
murderous
?describing a look or intent
killer
?describing quality or ability (figurative)
📝 In Action
Ella le lanzó una mirada asesina después del comentario.
B2She shot him a murderous look after the comment.
La enfermedad asesina es difícil de curar.
C1The deadly (murderous) disease is difficult to cure.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
As an adjective, 'asesina' must always match the feminine noun it describes, such as 'mirada' (look) or 'intención' (intention).
⭐ Usage Tips
Figurative Use
This adjective is often used figuratively to mean 'very intense' or 'deadly,' especially when describing emotions or physical attributes.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: asesina
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'asesina' as a noun?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'asesina' a serious word, or can it be used humorously?
While 'asesina' literally means 'murderer,' it is sometimes used humorously or figuratively, especially as an adjective (e.g., 'Tienes una mirada asesina,' meaning 'You have a killer look'). However, in formal contexts, it is a serious term related to crime.
What is the difference between 'asesina' and 'matadora'?
'Asesina' specifically refers to someone who commits murder (intentional, often planned killing). 'Matadora' is the general feminine term for 'killer' or 'slayer' and is often used for bullfighters or animals, or in a very broad sense of killing.