matanza
/mah-TAHN-sah/
massacre
The word 'matanza' can refer to a massacre or a heavy defeat, illustrated here by fallen chess pieces.
matanza(noun)
massacre
?the killing of many people
slaughter
?violent killing in large numbers
,carnage
?the result of a violent event
📝 In Action
Los historiadores escribieron sobre la matanza ocurrida en la guerra.
B1The historians wrote about the massacre that happened in the war.
Debemos evitar otra matanza de civiles inocentes.
B2We must avoid another slaughter of innocent civilians.
💡 Grammar Points
Noun Gender
This word ends in -a and is feminine. Always use feminine markers like 'la' or 'una' with it.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusion with 'Matar'
Mistake: "Using 'matanza' as a verb."
Correction: Use 'matar' for the action (to kill) and 'matanza' for the name of the event (the killing).
⭐ Usage Tips
When to use this
Use this word when the scale of the killing is large or particularly brutal.
In many cultures, 'matanza' refers to the traditional slaughter of animals for food and the preparation of meats.
matanza(noun)
slaughter
?traditional killing of animals for food
pig-slaughter festival
?traditional rural event
📝 In Action
En el pueblo, la matanza del cerdo es una tradición de invierno.
B2In the village, the pig slaughter is a winter tradition.
Ya tienen todo listo para la matanza de mañana.
B1They have everything ready for tomorrow's slaughter.
💡 Grammar Points
Nouns from Verbs
The suffix -anza is added to the verb 'matar' to name the whole process or event.
⭐ Usage Tips
Cultural Context
In many Spanish-speaking countries, 'la matanza' isn't just about food; it's a social event where families gather to make sausages.
Informally, 'matanza' describes an exhausting or back-breaking task.
matanza(noun)
exhausting task
?something very tiring
killer
?figurative, as in 'that workout was a killer'
📝 In Action
Subir todas esas cajas fue una matanza.
C1Carrying all those boxes up was a real killer (exhausting).
⭐ Usage Tips
Hyperbole
Spanish speakers often use strong words like 'killing' to describe everyday tiring things. It's not literal!
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: matanza
Question 1 of 2
Which of these is the most likely meaning of 'matanza' in a rural winter festival context?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'matanza' only used for bad things?
While it often refers to massacres (bad), it is also used for a culturally significant food tradition (neutral/positive) and figuratively for hard work.
What is the plural of matanza?
The plural is 'matanzas'. Use it when referring to multiple events or different instances of slaughter.