Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| morte | /ˈmɔʁ.t͡ʃi/ (Brazil) /ˈmɔɾ.t͡ʃi/ (São Paulo) |
feminine |
| falecimento | /fa.le.siˈmẽ.tu/ (Brazil) /fɐ.lɨ.siˈmẽ.tu/ (Portugal) |
|
| óbito | /ˈɔ.bi.tu/ (Brazil) /ˈɔ.bi.tu/ (Portugal) |
The most common way to refer to the cessation of life is morte. When you want to speak about the act of dying, the corresponding verb is morrer. In more delicate or informal situations, speakers may use euphemisms such as partir dessa para melhor (passing away) or ir para o outro lado (going to the other side).
Which one should you use?
While morte is the standard and neutral term used in most contexts, other forms exist for specific settings. Falecimento is used to be more polite and respectful, particularly when speaking to grieving families or writing obituaries. Óbito is a technical term used primarily in medical, legal or official documents, such as a death certificate.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
morte is the neutral, standard term. falecimento is a formal and polite way to refer to a death in serious contexts. óbito is a formal, technical term used for official and legal purposes.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
morte is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of morte is /ˈmɔʁ.tʃi/. It has two syllables, with the stress on the first syllable.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, the phrase bateu as botas is a common slang way to say someone died, literally meaning 'he kicked the boots'.
- The polite term falecimento comes from the Latin verb 'fallere', which means 'to deceive' or 'to trick'.
- The technical term óbito is a direct relative of the archaic English word 'obit' and the common 'obituary'.
Examples in context
- A morte os reuniu.Death reunited them.This is useful for showing how death can be described as a force that reunites people using morte.Tatoeba #2672490 by carlosalberto, translation #6459204 by heo598
- A morte é iminente.Death is imminent.This demonstrates how to describe death as something imminent using morte.Tatoeba #6793349 by ToinhoAlam, translation #1260154 by CM
- Eu não temo a morte.I don't fear death.This shows a common way to express the absence of fear regarding morte.Tatoeba #1584168 by alexmarcelo, translation #1111459 by Scott
- Lamentamos informar o falecimento de João da Silva.We regret to inform you of the death of João da Silva.
- Ontem a avó da Maria partiu dessa para melhor.Yesterday, Maria's grandmother passed away.
- 353 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Camila and Lucas are discussing a historical documentary.
- CamilaO documentário focou na morte de um herói.The documentary focused on the death of a hero.
- LucasFoi uma história muito emocionante, Camila.It was a very moving story, Camila.
- CamilaSim, a morte dele foi trágica.Yes, his death was tragic.
- LucasEu concordo plenamente com você.I completely agree with you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “death” translations and entries morte, falecimento, óbito, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries falecimento, morte, óbito, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
