matarme
“matarme” means “to kill myself” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to kill myself
Also: to take my own life
📝 In Action
Dijo que si fallaba otra vez, iría a matarme.
C1He said that if he failed again, he would go kill himself.
Necesita ayuda, está pensando en matarme.
C2He needs help; he is thinking of killing himself (taking his life).
to work myself to death, to exhaust myself
Also: to drive myself crazy
📝 In Action
Tengo que estudiar mucho, pero no quiero matarme antes del examen.
B1I have to study a lot, but I don't want to kill myself (exhaust myself) before the exam.
Siempre se dedica a matarme en el gimnasio con esos ejercicios.
B2He always dedicates himself to making me exhausted (killing me) at the gym with those exercises.
to be dying of laughter
Also: to be bored stiff
📝 In Action
Ese comediante es tan gracioso que me hizo matarme de risa.
A2That comedian is so funny he made me die laughing.
Esta reunión fue tan aburrida que casi me voy a matarme del aburrimiento.
A2This meeting was so boring I almost died of boredom.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: matarme
Question 1 of 2
Which of these sentences uses 'matarme' in a figurative, non-literal sense?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
The verb 'matar' comes from the older, less common Spanish verb 'matar,' which possibly has roots related to hitting or striking, rather than exclusively killing. The reflexive 'me' comes directly from Latin *me*.
First recorded: 11th century (for 'matar')
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'me' attached to the end of the verb?
In Spanish, when you use a pronoun (like 'me,' 'te,' 'se') with an infinitive verb (the 'to do' form), you usually attach the pronoun right onto the end. 'Matarme' means 'to kill myself.' If you wanted to say 'to kill you,' it would be 'matarte'.
Is 'matarse' always a bad word?
No. While the base meaning is serious, it is very commonly used in informal situations to exaggerate feelings ('matarse de risa' - to die laughing) or to describe extreme effort ('matarse estudiando' - to study extremely hard). Context is everything!