letal
leh-TAHL
📝 In Action
El veneno de esta araña es letal para los humanos.
A2The venom of this spider is lethal to humans.
Fue un error letal para su carrera política.
B2It was a fatal mistake for his political career.
La policía confiscó un arma letal en la escena.
B1The police confiscated a deadly weapon at the scene.
💡 Grammar Points
One size fits all
In Spanish, most adjectives that end in the letter 'l' don't change for gender. You can use 'letal' for both masculine and feminine things (e.g., 'un veneno letal' and 'una dosis letal').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Avoid adding -a or -o
Mistake: "Using 'letalo' or 'letala'."
Correction: Always use 'letal'. To make it plural for more than one thing, just add '-es' to get 'letales'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Beyond physical death
You can use 'letal' metaphorically to describe a mistake, a joke, or an argument that is extremely effective or damaging, not just things that literally kill.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: letal
Question 1 of 1
Which of these is most likely to be described as 'letal'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a difference between 'mortal' and 'letal'?
They are very similar. 'Mortal' usually means something *can* die (we are all mortal) or causes death, while 'letal' specifically describes something that is *designed* or *destined* to cause death, like a weapon or a chemical.