Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ataúd | /ataˈud/ | masculine |
| féretro | /ˈfeɾetɾo/ | masculine |
| cajón | /kaˈxon/ /kaˈʃon/ (Early, Modern, Spanish) |
Latin America, masculine |
| urna | /ˈuɾna/ | Venezuela, feminine |
| caja mortuoria | /kaxa moɾtwoɾja/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
All provided terms refer to the box in which a dead person is buried.
Which one should you use?
ataúd is the most common and neutral term for a coffin. féretro is a more formal or literary option. cajón can refer to a coffin but also translates to 'casket' or 'chest'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ataúd is the neutral standard, though it is also used as a formal term during burial services. féretro is a formal term often seen in written contexts. caja mortuoria is a highly formal or technical term used in funerary contexts. cajón is an informal way to refer to a coffin.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, cajón is used to refer to a coffin, although it literally means a 'large box' or 'drawer'. In Colombia and Venezuela, the word urna is sometimes used to mean 'coffin'.
How does it change in a sentence?
ataúd and féretro are masculine nouns. cajón is a masculine noun. urna is a feminine noun. caja mortuoria is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/ataˈud/
Did you know?
- The common word ataúd is actually an Arabic loanword, inherited from the term tābūt used in Andalusian Arabic.
- While cajón is a common word for a coffin in Latin America, in Spain it is more frequently understood as a 'drawer' in a piece of furniture.
- While ataúd is the standard term, using féretro in a casual conversation can make you sound like a character from a 19th-century novel.
Examples in context
- Si golpeas el ataúd vas a despertar al muerto.If you hit the coffin, you'll wake up the dead person.This sentence shows the effect of hitting the ataúd.Tatoeba #2823393 by marcelostockle, translation #4974463 by jbdu
- Una cama de madera es mejor que un ataúd de oro.A wooden bed is better than a golden coffin.This sentence compares a wooden bed to an ataúd made of gold.Tatoeba #5661041 by arh, translation #5650439 by Hybrid
- Él pensó que su piano haría de buen ataúd para él.He thought his piano would make a good coffin for him.This sentence describes a piano being used as an ataúd.Tatoeba #1142242 by marcelostockle, translation #1142243 by marcelostockle
- Después del funeral, el ataúd fue llevado al cementerio.After the funeral, the coffin was taken to the cemetery.
- El cuerpo fue colocado en un lujoso féretro de madera.The body was placed in a luxurious wooden coffin.
- El cajón estaba decorado con flores alrededor.The casket was decorated with flowers all around.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are looking at a dark mahogany furniture piece in an antique shop.
- JavierEse es un ataúd de madera muy antiguo.That is a very old wooden coffin.
- ElenaEs demasiado grande para nuestra tienda, Javier.It is too large for our shop, Javier.
- JavierTienes razón, el ataúd no cabe por la puerta.You are right, the coffin does not fit through the door.
- ElenaBusquemos otra cosa más pequeña.Let's look for something else smaller.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coffin” translations and entries ataúd, féretro, cajón, urna, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ataúd, cajón, féretro, urna, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
