Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| morrer | /moˈʁe(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /moˈʁe(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
| falecer | /fa.leˈse(ʁ)/ (Brazil) /fa.leˈse(ɾ)/ (São Paulo) |
The most common and neutral verb used to say "to die" is morrer. Other ways to express this idea include the formal term partir and the informal idiom bater as botas, which literally means "to kick the boots". Another lighthearted and informal way to refer to someone's passing is the expression passar dessa para uma melhor, which means "to move to something better".
Which one should you use?
While morrer is the standard word for "to die", falecer serves as a more formal and euphemistic way to say "to pass away".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal contexts, such as official documents or obituaries, you can use falecer or partir. If you want to be informal or lighthearted, you can use the idiom bater as botas or the phrase passar dessa para uma melhor.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using morrer, the third-person singular past tense is morreu (died), the third-person singular future tense is morrerá (will die) and the gerund form expressing an ongoing action is morrendo (dying).
How do you pronounce it?
/moˈʁe(ʁ)/
Did you know?
- The formal verb falecer shares a root with the Latin word fallere, which means 'to deceive' or 'to trick'. This suggests that death was historically viewed as a way the world tricks or deceives the living.
- The verb morrer is used in the expression morrer de medo, which means to be terrified. It is the standard way to describe an extreme state of fear, rather than using a verb for 'being' afraid.
- In Portuguese, the verb morrer can be used to describe a fire or a conversation that 'dies down' or fades away, similar to the English usage but applied to more types of social interactions.
Examples in context
- O Tom vai morrer?Will Tom die?This sentence asks if Tom will die using morrer.Tatoeba #2900881 by MarlonX19, translation #1886441 by CK
- Eu não vou morrer.I won't die.This sentence uses morrer to say that one won't die.Tatoeba #5037069 by Ricardo14, translation #1792644 by BraveSentry
- É nadar ou morrer.It's swim or die.This sentence uses morrer in the idiom "swim or die".Tatoeba #6066418 by sergiomelo, translation #6064850 by OsoHombre
- Ele morreu pacificamente durante seu sono.He died peacefully in his sleep.
- Infelizmente, meu avô faleceu ontem.Unfortunately, my grandfather passed away yesterday.
- Ele partiu deste mundo aos 90 anos de idade.He departed this world at the age of 90.
- Quando eu morrer, quero passar dessa para uma melhor.When I die, I want to move to something better.
- 312 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felipe and Camila are watching a sad-looking movie.
- FelipeO personagem principal vai morrer?Is the main character going to die?
- CamilaSim, ele vai morrer no final.Yes, he is going to die at the end.
- FelipeEu não gosto de filmes assim.I do not like movies like this.
- CamilaEu também não, mas é triste.I do not either, but it is sad.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “die” translations and entries morrer, falecer, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries falecer, morrer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
