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muertas

/MWER-tas/

dead

A group of three wilted, brown roses lying horizontally on the ground, illustrating the concept of dead flowers.

Illustrating the feminine plural adjective 'dead' by showing dead flowers.

muertas(adjective)

fA1

dead

?

describing feminine plural nouns

,

deceased

?

formal reference to women

Also:

lifeless

?

describing objects or eyes

,

off

?

referring metaphorically to lights or systems

📝 In Action

Las baterías de mi linterna están muertas.

A2

The batteries in my flashlight are dead.

Encontraron varias flores muertas en el jardín.

A1

They found several dead flowers in the garden.

Dicen que sus esperanzas están muertas después de la noticia.

B1

They say their hopes are dead after the news.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • fallecidas (deceased)
  • extintas (extinct)

Antonyms

  • vivas (alive)
  • activas (active)

Common Collocations

  • pruebas muertas – dead evidence (stale evidence)
  • luces muertas – dead lights (lights that are out)

💡 Grammar Points

Adjective Agreement

As an adjective, 'muertas' must match the thing it describes. Since it ends in '-as', it is used only for plural, feminine nouns (like 'chicas' or 'baterías').

❌ Common Pitfalls

Mixing Genders

Mistake: "Los flores están muertas."

Correction: Las flores están muertas. (Since 'flores' is feminine, the adjective must also be feminine.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Past Participle Use

This word is also the feminine plural form of the past participle of the verb 'morir' (to die). It is used to form passive structures, like 'fueron muertas' (they were killed).

Two stylized female figures lying peacefully under a soft blanket of stars, representing the dead women.

The noun 'muertas' refers to the dead women or female casualties.

muertas(noun)

fB1

the dead women

?

referring to female victims or casualties

Also:

the female casualties

?

military or disaster context

📝 In Action

La lista de las muertas incluía a tres ancianas.

B2

The list of the dead women included three elderly women.

Nunca olvidaremos a las muertas de la guerra.

B1

We will never forget the dead women of the war.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • víctimas (victims)
  • damnificadas (affected women)

Common Collocations

  • honrar a las muertas – to honor the dead women

💡 Grammar Points

Acting as a Noun

When used with the article 'las' (the), the adjective 'muertas' becomes a noun, meaning 'the dead ones' (referring specifically to women).

⭐ Usage Tips

Sensitive Context

This noun form is often used in formal or sensitive discussions about loss, violence, or casualties.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: muertas

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'muertas'?

📚 More Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'muertas' have an 'e' sound when the verb 'morir' (to die) uses an 'o'?

This is a common change in Spanish verbs! 'Morir' is a 'stem-changing' verb. When it's conjugated in the present tense (like 'yo muero'), the 'o' changes to 'ue'. The past participle form, 'muerto' (and its variants like 'muertas'), also carries this change, derived from the Latin root.

What is the difference between 'muertas' and 'muertos'?

'Muertas' is used only for groups of women or feminine objects (e.g., 'las luces muertas'). 'Muertos' is used for groups of men, mixed groups of men and women, or masculine objects (e.g., 'los soldados muertos').