mataran
“mataran” means “they killed” in Spanish (used in 'if' or imaginary situations).
they killed, they would killAlso: they were to kill
📝 In Action
Si ellos mataran a la araña, yo entraría al cuarto.
B1If they killed the spider, I would go into the room.
Era improbable que mataran el tiempo de esa manera.
B2It was unlikely that they would kill time in that way.
Temía que mataran a los personajes principales en el final.
B2I was afraid they would kill the main characters in the finale.
Word Connections
Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Indicative
Preterite
Imperfect
Present
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Words that translate to "mataran" in Spanish:
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mataran
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence is correct for 'If they killed the lights, we couldn't see'?
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👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
From the Latin word 'mactare', which originally meant 'to glorify' or 'to sacrifice', and eventually evolved into 'to kill' in Spanish.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'mataran' and 'matasen'?
They mean exactly the same thing! Spanish has two ways to say this 'what if' past form. 'Mataran' is much more common in daily speech and in Latin America.
Does 'mataran' always mean taking a life?
Not always. It can be used figuratively, like 'matar el tiempo' (to kill time) or 'matar la curiosidad' (to satisfy curiosity).