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How to Say "fatal" in Spanish

English → Spanish

fatal

fah-TAHL/faˈtal/

adjectiveB2General
Use 'fatal' when directly referring to an event, like an accident, that results in death.
A close-up of a large, poisonous-looking mushroom with a red cap and white spots growing in the grass.

Examples

El accidente de coche fue fatal para los dos conductores.

The car accident was fatal for both drivers.

Ese fue un encuentro fatal que cambió el curso de la historia.

That was a fateful encounter that changed the course of history.

letal

/leh-TAHL//leˈtal/

adjectiveB2General
Choose 'letal' when describing something, like a poison or a disease, that is deadly or capable of causing death.
A vibrant green snake with bared fangs next to a drop of bright venom.

Examples

El veneno de esta araña es letal para los humanos.

The venom of this spider is lethal to humans.

Fue un error letal para su carrera política.

It was a fatal mistake for his political career.

La policía confiscó un arma letal en la escena.

The police confiscated a deadly weapon at the scene.

One size fits all

In Spanish, most adjectives that end in the letter 'l' don't change for gender. You can use 'letal' for both masculine and feminine things (e.g., 'un veneno letal' and 'una dosis letal').

Avoid adding -a or -o

Mistake: “Using 'letalo' or 'letala'.”

Correction: Always use 'letal'. To make it plural for more than one thing, just add '-es' to get 'letales'.

mortales

/mor-TAH-lehs//moɾˈtales/

adjectiveB1General
Use 'mortales' to describe wounds or injuries that are deadly and will likely cause death.
A bright red mushroom with white spots sitting in green grass.

Examples

El guerrero sufrió varias heridas mortales.

The warrior suffered several deadly wounds.

Todos somos mortales y debemos aceptar el fin.

We are all mortal and must accept the end.

Making 'L' Words Plural

For words ending in 'l' like 'mortal', you make them plural by adding 'es' at the end.

Gender Consistency

Mistake: “Using 'mortalas' for feminine groups.”

Correction: The word 'mortales' stays the same for both masculine and feminine groups. Use 'los hombres mortales' and 'las mujeres mortales'.

trágico

adjectiveB1General
Employ 'trágico' to describe an event, like an accident, that is deeply sad and results in death, focusing on the emotional impact.

Examples

Fue un accidente trágico; muchas familias perdieron a sus seres queridos.

It was a tragic accident; many families lost their loved ones.

Fatal vs. Trágico

Learners often confuse 'fatal' and 'trágico' because both can describe accidents resulting in death. Remember that 'fatal' focuses on the outcome (death), while 'trágico' emphasizes the sadness and emotional impact of the event.

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