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A group of storybook characters standing near a fallen wooden dragon toy.

mataran

mah-TAH-rahn

verbB2regular ar
they killed?used in 'if' or imaginary situations,they would kill?hypothetical scenarios
Also:they were to kill?formal hypothetical context

Quick Reference

gerundmatando
past Participlematado
infinitivematar

📝 In Action

Si ellos mataran a la araña, yo entraría al cuarto.

B1

If they killed the spider, I would go into the room.

Era improbable que mataran el tiempo de esa manera.

B2

It was unlikely that they would kill time in that way.

Temía que mataran a los personajes principales en el final.

B2

I was afraid they would kill the main characters in the finale.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • matar el tiempo – to kill time
  • matar de risa – to die of laughter

Idioms & Expressions

  • matar dos pájaros de un tiro – To solve two problems with one action

💡 Grammar Points

The 'What If' Form

The word 'mataran' is a special form of the verb 'matar' used for imaginary situations or things you aren't sure about in the past. It's used after 'if' (si) when talking about something unlikely.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mataran vs. Matarán

Mistake: "Confusing 'mataran' with 'matarán'."

Correction: Use 'matarán' (with an accent) for 'they WILL kill' (certain future). Use 'mataran' (no accent) for 'they would kill' (imaginary).

⭐ Usage Tips

Matching the Ending

This specific '-aran' ending always refers to 'them' or 'you all' (ustedes) in a hypothetical or imaginary sense.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesmataran
yomatara
túmataras
vosotrosmatarais
nosotrosmatáramos
él/ella/ustedmatara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesmaten
yomate
túmates
vosotrosmatéis
nosotrosmatemos
él/ella/ustedmate

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedesmataron
yomaté
túmataste
vosotrosmatasteis
nosotrosmatamos
él/ella/ustedmató

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedesmataban
yomataba
túmatabas
vosotrosmatabais
nosotrosmatábamos
él/ella/ustedmataba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedesmatan
yomato
túmatas
vosotrosmatáis
nosotrosmatamos
él/ella/ustedmata
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: mataran

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence is correct for 'If they killed the lights, we couldn't see'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

matanza(slaughter) - noun
matador(killer/bullfighter) - noun

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).