How to Say "you killed" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “you killed” is “mataste” — use 'mataste' when referring to the informal singular 'you' (tú) in the past tense..
mataste
mah-TAHS-teh/maˈtaste/
Examples
Tú mataste la sed con ese vaso de agua fría.
You quenched your thirst with that glass of cold water.
¿Por qué mataste el tiempo esperando en la estación?
Why did you kill time waiting at the station?
Me dijiste que mataste el interruptor principal antes de tocar los cables.
You told me you switched off the main breaker before touching the wires.
Action Completed in the Past
This form uses the simple past tense (Preterite), meaning the action started and finished at a definite point in the past. It is not an ongoing or habitual action.
Specific to 'Tú'
The '-aste' ending is the unmistakable signal that the subject of the verb is 'tú' (the informal 'you'). You use this when talking directly to a friend or someone younger.
Confusing Preterite and Imperfect
Mistake: “Using 'matabas' when referring to a single, specific event.”
Correction: 'Matabas' means 'you used to kill' or 'you were killing.' Use 'mataste' for a single event: '¿Quién mataste?' (Who did you kill?)
Adding an 's' to 'Yo' form
Mistake: “Saying 'yo matastes' (Incorrectly adding the 's' from 'tú' to the 'yo' form).”
Correction: The 'tú' form keeps the 's' ('mataste'), but the 'yo' form does not: 'yo maté' (I killed).
Examples
El cazador mató al ciervo.
The hunter killed the deer.
Informal vs. Formal 'You'
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