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mataste

mah-TAHS-teh

verbA2regular ar

you killed?simple past action (referring to 'tú'),you slew?historical or dramatic context

Also:you turned off?figurative, e.g., 'matar el motor' (to kill/stall the engine),you exhausted?figurative, e.g., 'matar de cansancio'

Quick Reference

infinitivematar

gerundmatando

past Participlematado

📝 In Action

Tú mataste la sed con ese vaso de agua fría.

You quenched your thirst with that glass of cold water.

¿Por qué mataste el tiempo esperando en la estación?

Why did you kill time waiting at the station?

Me dijiste que mataste el interruptor principal antes de tocar los cables.

You told me you switched off the main breaker before touching the wires.

Word Connections

Synonyms

asesinar (to murder)
aniquilar (to annihilate)

Antonyms

revivir (to revive)
crear (to create)

Common Collocations

matar el tiempo – to kill time
matar la sed – to quench thirst

Idioms & Expressions

matar dos pájaros de un tiro – to solve two problems with one action

💡 Grammar Points

Action Completed in the Past

This form uses the simple past tense (Preterite), meaning the action started and finished at a definite point in the past. It is not an ongoing or habitual action.

Specific to 'Tú'

The '-aste' ending is the unmistakable signal that the subject of the verb is 'tú' (the informal 'you'). You use this when talking directly to a friend or someone younger.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Confusing Preterite and Imperfect

Mistake: "Using 'matabas' when referring to a single, specific event."

Correction: 'Matabas' means 'you used to kill' or 'you were killing.' Use 'mataste' for a single event: '¿Quién mataste?' (Who did you kill?)

Adding an 's' to 'Yo' form

Mistake: "Saying 'yo matastes' (Incorrectly adding the 's' from 'tú' to the 'yo' form)."

Correction: The 'tú' form keeps the 's' ('mataste'), but the 'yo' form does not: 'yo maté' (I killed).

⭐ Usage Tips

Easy Regular Pattern

Since 'matar' is a regular -AR verb, the '-aste' ending for 'tú' in the simple past applies to all regular -AR verbs (e.g., 'hablaste,' 'cantaste,' 'compraste').

🔄 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: mataste

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses the simple past 'tú' form of 'matar'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

matar(to kill (infinitive)) - verb

matanza(massacre, slaughter) - noun

matador(killer, slayer (also bullfighter)) - noun

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.'