English–Spanish
“kill” in Spanish
Spanish
Pronunciation
IPA/maˈtaɾ/
Example
No quiero matar a la mosca; mejor la dejo salir.
I don't want to kill the fly; I'd rather let it out.
How to say “kill” in Spanish
“Kill” in Spanish is matar.
Ending a living being's life.
Example sentences with matar
En el tren, suelo matar el tiempo leyendo el periódico.
On the train, I usually pass the time by reading the newspaper.
Tips for using matar
- When the object is a person, Spanish uses the personal a ('matar a alguien'), and speakers often use asesinar to mark a deliberate or criminal killing.