Meaning
mortal; deadly
- mortal
- deadly, fatal
- deathlike
In a sentence
Siamo tutti mortali, quindi godiamoci il tempo.
We are all mortal, so let's enjoy our time.
Quel veleno è mortale anche in piccole dosi?
Is that poison deadly even in small doses?
Era un errore mortale.
It was a fatal mistake.
Word forms (4)
| Word | Word forms |
|---|---|
| mortale | masculine · singular |
| mortale | feminine · singular |
| mortali | masculine · plural |
| mortali | feminine · plural |
Usage notes
- For “able to die,” mortale is common in literary, religious, or philosophical contexts; in everyday speech, umano or persona often sounds more natural.
- For “deadly/fatal,” mortale is stronger and more fixed than pericoloso; use letale more in technical or medical contexts.
- A common fixed use is peccato mortale. Don’t confuse it with mortifero, which usually means “death-causing” in a more formal register.