What does the Spanish word mortal mean when used as slang? Does it have a positive or negative connotation towards the thing being described?
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3 Answers
In Argentina:
In informal conversation, it's roughly equivalent to 'terrific', as in very good, awesome
For example,
'¡El recital estuvo mortal!'
meaning that it was really good, that I enjoyed it very much.
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Not in Spain, where it is exactly the opposite. Please qualify your answer for the sake of clarity.– CesarGonMar 1, 2012 at 8:47
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That's interesting, If you say that in Mexico, depending on how you say it, it could mean the exact opposite; '¡El recital estuvo mortal!' may actually imply that you almost die from hearing it, but with a slightly different accent and context may mean that it was great...– ChepechMar 23, 2012 at 18:45
In Spain, and as far as I understand, it has a powerful negative connotation. For example:
La reunión fue mortal.
The meeting was awful.
However, and as it sometimes happens with other words, it may as well be used with exactly the opposite meaning. I haven't ever heard it that way, though. Wheat I have heard, as @Laura points out, is de muerte meaning "extremely good" or "awesome":
¡La comida está de muerte!
The food is awesome!
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It can also mean "extremely funny" in Spain.
La broma fue mortal
The joke was extremely funny
