mataste
“mataste” means “you killed” in Spanish (simple past action (referring to 'tú')).
you killed, you slew
Also: you turned off, you exhausted
📝 In Action
Tú mataste la sed con ese vaso de agua fría.
A2You quenched your thirst with that glass of cold water.
¿Por qué mataste el tiempo esperando en la estación?
B1Why did you kill time waiting at the station?
Me dijiste que mataste el interruptor principal antes de tocar los cables.
B2You told me you switched off the main breaker before touching the wires.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: mataste
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses the simple past 'tú' form of 'matar'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *mactāre*, which meant 'to honor by sacrifice' or 'to slay/sacrifice.' Over time, the meaning simplified to the general sense of 'to kill.'
First recorded: Old Spanish (circa 13th century)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'mataste' a regular verb form?
Yes, 'matar' is a perfectly regular -AR verb. If you know the simple past pattern for one regular -AR verb (like 'hablar'), you know it for 'mataste'!
When should I use 'mataste' versus 'matabas'?
Use 'mataste' (Preterite) for a single, finished action: 'You killed the spider.' Use 'matabas' (Imperfect) for actions that were repeated, ongoing, or described the background: 'You used to kill spiders all the time.'