mátalo
MAH-tah-loh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¡Esa mosca es molesta! Mátalo antes de que nos pique.
B1That fly is annoying! Kill it before it bites us.
Si ves al dragón, no dudes. ¡Mátalo de un solo golpe!
B2If you see the dragon, don't hesitate. Kill it with a single blow!
El director dijo: 'Ese plan no funciona, mátalo y empezamos de cero.'
C1The director said, 'That plan isn't working, kill it (scrap it) and let's start from scratch.'
💡 Grammar Points
Pronouns Stick to Commands
When you give a direct, positive command (like 'kill!'), the short words that replace nouns (like 'lo' for 'him/it') always stick right onto the end of the verb.
The Stress Mark Rule
When you attach a pronoun to an affirmative command, you must add an accent mark (tilde) to the original stressed syllable ('MA-ta' becomes 'MÁ-ta-lo') to make sure you pronounce it correctly.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the Accent
Mistake: "matalo"
Correction: mátalo. Without the accent, the stress shifts to the 'a' in 'lo,' which sounds incorrect.
Placing the Pronoun First
Mistake: "lo mata"
Correction: mátalo. 'Lo mata' means 'He/She kills it.' For a command, the pronoun must be attached to the end.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
Remember 'lo' can mean 'him' or 'it' (for a masculine thing). If you need to say 'kill her,' you would use 'mátala'; if you need 'kill them (masc./mixed),' you use 'mátalos.'
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
subjunctive
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mátalo
Question 1 of 2
Which of these is the correct negative command form corresponding to 'mátalo'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'mátalo' have an accent mark?
The accent mark is required to keep the stress on the correct syllable. The command 'mata' is stressed on the first 'a' (MA-ta). When you add the pronoun 'lo' (MA-ta-lo), the stress would naturally shift to the second-to-last syllable, which is the second 'a.' The accent on the first 'a' (MÁ-ta-lo) forces the stress back to its original position.
How do I say 'Kill them' (plural) in this structure?
If you are referring to multiple people or things, you would use the plural pronoun 'los' (masculine/mixed) or 'las' (feminine). So, you would say 'mátalos' (kill them, masc.) or 'mátalas' (kill them, fem.).