A stylized illustration of a solitary figure standing next to a large, extinguished candle. A thin wisp of smoke rises from the wick, symbolizing the finality of an action.

matara

mah-TAH-rah

Verb (Conjugated Form)B2regular ar

I/he/she killed (hypothetically)?as in 'if I were to kill',I/he/she might kill?past possibility or doubt

Also:were to kill?used in 'if' clauses

Quick Reference

past Participlematado

infinitivematar

gerundmatando

📝 In Action

Si yo matara el tiempo, lo haría leyendo.

If I were to kill time, I would do it by reading.

Ella no creía que él matara el motor por accidente.

She didn't believe that he had killed the engine by accident.

Me pidió que matara la luz antes de salir.

He asked me to turn off (kill) the light before leaving.

Word Connections

Synonyms

asesinara (murder (hypothetically))
aniquilara (annihilate (hypothetically))

Antonyms

viviera (lived (hypothetically))
salvara (saved (hypothetically))

Common Collocations

Si yo matara – If I were to kill
Me sorprendió que matara – It surprised me that he/she killed

💡 Grammar Points

Who Does 'Matara' Refer To?

This exact form can mean 'I killed' (yo matara) OR 'he/she/it killed' (él/ella matara), but only when used in the special subjunctive mood for past or hypothetical events.

The Past Wish or Doubt

You use 'matara' when the main part of the sentence expresses a past emotion, doubt, or request: 'Dudaba que él matara el tiempo' (I doubted that he would kill time).

Two Forms for the Past

The imperfect subjunctive has two forms: the '-ara' form (matara) and the '-ase' form (matase). They mean the same thing, but '-ara' is generally more common in everyday speech.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Subjunctive with Indicative

Mistake: "Creía que él matara el animal."

Correction: Creía que él mató el animal. (Use the indicative 'mató' if the killing is stated as a fact, not a doubt.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Remember the 'Si' Rule

When creating hypothetical 'if...then' sentences about unlikely events, use 'matara' in the 'if' part: 'Si matara... (If I were to kill...)' followed by the conditional tense.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: matara

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'matara' to express a past desire?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

matar(to kill) - verb

matanza(slaughter / massacre) - noun

matador(killer / bullfighter) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'matara' the same as 'matase'?

Yes, they are two different ways to say the exact same thing: the imperfect subjunctive form of 'matar.' You can use either one, but 'matara' is generally more common in modern Spanish.

Why is 'matara' sometimes translated as 'would kill'?

When 'matara' is used after the word 'si' (if) to describe an unlikely or hypothetical event, it often translates into English using the construction 'if I were to kill' or 'if I killed,' which is conceptually similar to 'would kill' in that context.