muerta
/MWER-tah/
dead
As an adjective, muerta means 'dead' or 'not alive,' used here to describe a feminine noun like a flower.
muerta(Adjective)
dead
?not alive
exhausted
?figurative, very tired
,numb
?without sensation
,dull
?lacking vibrancy, referring to a color
📝 In Action
La flor que me regalaste está muerta.
A2The flower you gave me is dead.
Después de la maratón, llegué a casa muerta.
B1After the marathon, I got home exhausted.
Se me quedó la pierna muerta después de estar sentada tanto tiempo.
B2My leg went numb after sitting for so long.
💡 Grammar Points
Matches the Noun
As an adjective, 'muerta' must agree with the feminine thing it describes. For a masculine noun, you'd use 'muerto'. Example: 'la planta muerta' (the dead plant), 'el árbol muerto' (the dead tree).
Use with 'Estar', not 'Ser'
To say something is dead, you almost always use the verb 'estar' (e.g., 'La mosca está muerta'). Using 'ser' is very rare and sounds unnatural in most situations.
Past Participle of 'Morir'
'Muerta' is also a special form of the verb 'morir' (to die), called a past participle. This is why it can describe the result of that action, like 'a dead flower' is a flower that has died.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Agreement
Mistake: "La flor está muerto."
Correction: La flor está muerta. Because 'flor' is a feminine word, the adjective describing it must also be feminine.
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Exhaustion
It's very common and natural for Spanish speakers to say 'estoy muerta' to mean 'I'm exhausted' or 'I'm dead tired'. It's a bit dramatic but used all the time.
When used as a noun, muerta refers formally to a 'dead woman' or 'the deceased (female).'
📝 In Action
La policía aún no ha identificado a la muerta.
B1The police have not yet identified the dead woman.
En el accidente hubo una muerta y dos heridos.
B2In the accident, there was one deceased (female) and two injured people.
💡 Grammar Points
Used as a Noun
When you see 'la muerta' or 'una muerta', it's not describing something else; it IS the thing. It's a noun referring to a specific dead person who is female.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Adjective vs. Noun
Mistake: "La muerta mujer fue encontrada. (Sounds awkward)"
Correction: La mujer muerta fue encontrada. (The dead woman was found.) OR La muerta fue encontrada. (The deceased woman was found.) When used as a noun, 'muerta' stands on its own.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
This noun form is most common in news, police reports, or legal contexts. In everyday conversation, people often use softer terms like 'la señora que falleció' (the lady who passed away).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: muerta
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'muerta' to mean 'exhausted'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'muerta' and 'muerte'?
Great question! 'Muerta' (ending in -a) is usually an adjective describing a feminine noun as 'dead' (la flor muerta). 'Muerte' (ending in -e) is the noun for the concept of 'death' itself (la muerte es natural).
Do I always use 'estar' with 'muerta'?
Yes, about 99% of the time. Saying something 'está muerta' describes its current state of being dead. Using 'ser' ('es muerta') is extremely rare and usually reserved for passive voice constructions in literature or very formal contexts, like 'ella fue muerta por el villano' (she was killed by the villain). For everyday use, always stick with 'estar'.