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"Murder" is a noun which is often translated as "el asesinato", and "assassinate" is a transitive verb which is often translated as "asesinar". Learn more about the difference between "murder" and "assassinate" below.
murder(
muhr
-
duhr
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (killing)
a. el asesinato (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
There was a murder in this street a few days ago.Hubo un asesinato en esta calle hace unos días.
b. el homicidio (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
The defendant was found guilty of murder.Al acusado lo declararon culpable de homicidio.
2. (colloquial) (figurative) (something difficult)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
a. la muerte (F) (figurative)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
The exam was absolute murder.El examen fue una auténtica muerte.
b. la friega (F) (colloquial) (Mexico)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
Regionalism used in Mexico
The traffic on the beltway is murder.El tráfico en el periférico es una friega.
c. la tortura (F) (figurative)
(f) means that a noun is feminine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
A phrase used as a figure of speech or a word that is symbolic in meaning; metaphorical (e.g., carrot, bean).
Mowing the lawn in August is murder.Cortar el césped en agosto es una tortura.
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
3. (to kill)
4. (to ruin)
a. destrozar
Film remakes of classic movies often murder the original work.Las nuevas versiones de las películas clásicas suelen destrozar la obra original.
5. (colloquial) (to consume)
A word or phrase that is commonly used in conversational speech (e.g., skinny, grandma).
a. dar cualquier cosa por
I could murder a coffee right now.Ahora mismo daría cualquier cosa por un café.
b. morirse por
"I could murder a glass of water," said the castaway."Me muero por un vaso de agua," dijo el náufrago.
An intransitive verb is one that does not require a direct object (e.g., The man sneezed.).
assassinate(
uh
-
sah
-
sih
-
neyt
)A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
