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A storybook scene where a shadowy figure extinguishes a small lit candle held by a sad masculine figure, symbolizing the end of his life.

matarlo

mah-TAHR-loh

VerbB1regular ar
to kill him?referring to a masculine person,to kill it?referring to a masculine object (like a mosquito or a fire)
Also:to defeat him?figurative, e.g., in a game or competition

Quick Reference

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

💡 Grammar Points

Infinitive + Pronoun Rule

When you have an infinitive (the base verb form ending in -ar, -er, or -ir), you can attach the pronoun that receives the action directly to the end. 'Matar' + 'lo' = 'Matarlo'.

What 'lo' means

'Lo' stands for the person or thing receiving the action, if that person or thing is masculine (like 'el hombre' or 'el mosquito'). It means 'him' or 'it'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Incorrect Pronoun Placement

Mistake: "Lo voy a matar. (Correct, but sometimes learners try to attach it to the conjugated verb: *Voylo a matar.)"

Correction: When using two verbs (like 'voy a matar'), the pronoun has two correct spots: attached to the infinitive ('Voy a matarlo') or placed before the first conjugated verb ('Lo voy a matar').

⭐ Usage Tips

Stress Placement

When you attach a pronoun to an infinitive, the original stress of the verb is kept. Since 'matar' is stressed on the last syllable, we don't need an accent mark on 'matarlo'.

🔄 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

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'.