muerta
“muerta” means “dead” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
dead
Also: exhausted, numb, dull
📝 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.
dead woman
Also: 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.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: muerta
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'muerta' to mean 'exhausted'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'mortua', which is the feminine form of 'mortuus'. This was the past participle of the Latin verb 'morī', meaning 'to die'. So, 'muerta' has always meant something or someone that has undergone the process of dying.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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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'.