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matarlo

mah-TAHR-loh/maˈtaɾlo/

“matarlo” means “to kill him” in Spanish (referring to a masculine person).

to kill him, to kill it

Also: to defeat him
VerbB1regular ar
Spain (Specific Usage)
A storybook scene where a shadowy figure extinguishes a small lit candle held by a sad masculine figure, symbolizing the end of his life.
infinitivematar
gerundmatando
past Participlematado

📝 In Action

No pudieron matarlo a pesar de sus intentos.

B1

They couldn't kill him despite their attempts.

Voy a matarlo si veo ese insecto de nuevo.

A2

I'm going to kill it if I see that insect again.

Es fácil matarlo si no se protege.

B2

It's easy to kill him/it if he/it doesn't protect himself/itself.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • asesinarlo (to murder him)
  • eliminarlo (to eliminate him)

Common Collocations

  • intentar matarlo – to try to kill him
  • poder matarlo – to be able to kill him

Idioms & Expressions

  • matar el tiempo – to pass the time

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedmata
yomato
túmatas
ellos/ellas/ustedesmatan
nosotrosmatamos
vosotrosmatáis

imperfect

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

preterite

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

subjunctive

present

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

imperfect

él/ella/ustedmatara/matase
yomatara/matase
túmataras/matases
ellos/ellas/ustedesmataran/matasen
nosotrosmatáramos/matásemos
vosotrosmatarais/mataseis
View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: matarlo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'matarlo'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
matar(to kill (infinitive)) — Verb
la muerte(death) — Noun
el matador(killer/bullfighter) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
curarloamarlo
📚 Etymology▼

The verb 'matar' comes from the Arabic word 'māta', meaning 'to die'. It entered Spanish through contact with Arabic speakers in the Iberian Peninsula centuries ago. The 'lo' is a direct continuation of the Latin object pronoun.

First recorded: 11th century (base verb)

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: matar

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'matarlo' always mean 'to kill him'?

No. 'Lo' can refer to a masculine person ('him') OR a masculine object or concept ('it'), such as 'el tiempo' (time) or 'el fuego' (the fire). So 'matarlo' can mean 'to kill him' or 'to kill it'.

Is 'matarlo' more common than placing 'lo' before the verb?

Both structures are very common and interchangeable when using an infinitive. For instance, 'Debes matarlo' (You must kill him) is just as common as 'Lo debes matar'.