matarle
“matarle” means “to kill him” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to kill him, to kill her, to kill you (formal)
Also: to end his life
📝 In Action
No pudieron matarle, solo lo hirieron gravemente.
B1They couldn't kill him; they only wounded him seriously.
Decidió matarle antes de que él pudiera escapar.
A2She decided to kill him before he could escape.
to bore him stiff, to exhaust him
Also: to kill him (with laughter/boredom)
📝 In Action
Esa reunión interminable va a matarle de aburrimiento.
B2That endless meeting is going to bore him to death.
El trabajo extra va a matarle si no toma un descanso.
B2The extra work is going to exhaust him if he doesn't take a break.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: matarle
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'matarle' in its figurative sense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The base verb 'matar' comes from the Latin 'mactāre', which originally meant 'to sacrifice' or 'to honor with a sacrifice,' but later evolved to mean 'to kill' in Spanish. The 'le' is the descendant of the Latin object pronoun 'illi'.
First recorded: Base verb 'matar' attested in Spanish since the 13th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the pronoun 'le' attached to the end of 'matar'?
When using a Spanish verb in its base form (the infinitive, like 'matar'), you have the choice to attach the object pronoun ('le') directly to the end, forming a single word like 'matarle'. This is a very common and correct way to structure the sentence.
Does 'matarle' always mean 'to kill him'?
Not always. While the literal meaning is 'to kill him/her/you formal,' Spanish frequently uses 'matar' to exaggerate extreme feelings, like 'matarle de aburrimiento' (to bore him to death) or 'matarle de risa' (to make him die laughing).