Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| entierro | /enˈtjero/ | masculine |
| soterramiento | /soteraˈmjento/ | masculine |
| enterramiento | /enteraˈmjento/ | masculine |
| sepultura | /sepulˈtuɾa/ | feminine |
| sepultamiento | /sepultaˈmjento/ | masculine |
| sepelio | /seˈpeljo/ | formal, masculine |
| inhumación | /inumaˈθjon/ /inumaˈsjon/ |
feminine |
Spanish uses different words for burial depending on whether you are talking about a person, an object, the physical grave or a technical process. entierro is the general, most common word used for both people and objects. soterramiento is used in technical contexts to describe the act of placing things like cables or pipes underground. sepultura is used when referring to the physical grave or the site of burial rather than the act of burying itself.
Which one should you use?
While entierro is the general term for any burial, sepultura specifically refers to the physical grave. For more specialized needs, inhumación is a technical term for the act of placing a body in a grave and soterramiento refers to placing objects like infrastructure underground.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
sepelio is a formal term used specifically for the funeral rites or the ceremony of burying a person. inhumación is a technical or legal term used in medical or official contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina and Uruguay, the word sepelio is commonly used to express burial.
How does it change in a sentence?
The forms provided include several masculine nouns (entierro, soterramiento, enterramiento, sepultamiento, sepelio) and two feminine nouns (sepultura, inhumación).
How do you pronounce it?
/enˈtjero/
Did you know?
- The Spanish word sepultura is a direct cognate of the archaic English word 'sepulture'. While 'sepulture' has mostly disappeared from common English usage, sepultura remains a standard term in Spanish.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the phrase entierro can refer not just to the act of burial, but to the entire funeral procession as it moves toward the cemetery.
- The word sepelio often functions as a commercial term in Spanish-speaking countries to describe a funeral package that includes the casket and the wake.
Examples in context
- ¿Cuándo será el entierro?When is the burial?This sentence is useful for asking about the time of a burial with entierro.Tatoeba #10356574 by arh, translation #10739027 by SGM
- El carnaval terminó con el tradicional entierro de la sardina y la ciudad volvió a la tranquilidad habitual.The carnival finished with the traditional sardine burial and the city returned to its normal peace and quiet.This sentence shows how entierro can be used for a traditional event involving an object.Tatoeba #5630490 by arh, translation #8160950 by magnificentgoddess
- El entierro se llevará a cabo el viernes próximo.The burial will take place next Friday.
- La inhumación se realizará en el cementerio municipal.The burial will take place in the municipal cemetery.
- ¿Sabes cuándo será el entierro?Do you know when the burial will be?
- No pude asistir al entierro fúnebre de mi abuelo debido a un compromiso previo.I couldn't attend my grandfather's burial due to a prior commitment.
- ¿Cómo fue el enterramiento de tu tío? Lamento mucho su pérdida.How was your uncle's burial? I'm really sorry for your loss.
- La sepultura de mi abuela está cerca de la entrada principal del cementerio.My grandmother's burial plot is near the main entrance of the cemetery.
- La familia agradece a todos los que asistieron al sepelio de nuestro ser querido.The family thanks everyone who attended the burial of our loved one.
- El entierro se realizará mañana por la mañana.The burial will take place tomorrow morning.
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are discussing funeral arrangements.
- Javier¿Sabes a qué hora es el entierro?Do you know what time the burial is?
- ElenaSí, Javier, es a las diez de la mañana.Yes, Javier, it is at ten in the morning.
- JavierIré directamente allí después del servicio.I will go directly there after the service.
- ElenaEstá bien, nos vemos en el entierro.All right, I'll see you at the burial.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “burial” translations and entries entierro, soterramiento, enterramiento, sepultura, sepultamiento, sepelio, inhumación, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries enterramiento, entierro, sepultura, soterramiento, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
