dö
/døː/
The Swedish verb to die is expressed as dö. Wiktionary also lists avlida and gå bort.
Meaning: to stop living (verb)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA |
|---|---|
| dö | /døː/ |
| avlida | |
| gå bort | /ɡoː bɔʈː/ (Sweden, word by word) |
The primary way to express the cessation of life is with the verb dö. Other forms like avlida and gå bort can be used.
Which one should you use?
dö is the direct and neutral way to say to die, making it suitable for any context, even when being blunt or harsh. In contrast, avlida is a formal synonym.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
dö is a neutral term used in all contexts. avlida is a formal and respectful term used in official settings such as news reports or obituaries.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The present tense of dö is dör (dies/am dying). To describe a completed action or a state, use the past participle dött.
How do you pronounce it?
/døː/
Did you know?
- The formal verb avlida comes from the components av and lida, where lida means 'to suffer'.
- While dö is neutral, using it in a highly emotional or grieving context can sometimes be perceived as cold or overly clinical.
- In official Swedish death certificates and legal documents, you will almost exclusively see the verb avlida rather than dö.
Examples in context
- Jag såg Tom dö.I saw Tom die.This sentence shows how to use dö to describe witnessing someone's death.Tatoeba #4357767 by richke, translation #2261979 by CK
- Jag ska inte dö.I'm not going to die.This sentence shows a negative future intention using dö.Tatoeba #2086192 by herrsilen, translation #1891042 by CK
- Jag vill inte dö.I don't want to die.This sentence shows a personal desire regarding the use of dö.Tatoeba #4087087 by malinef, translation #2011481 by CK
- Jag är ledsen att meddela att din mor har dött.I'm sorry to inform you that your mother has died.
- Efter en svår kamp avled kungen natten till söndagen.After a tough battle, the king passed away during the night before Sunday.
- Min farfar gick bort förra året.My grandfather passed away last year.
- Hon lämnade jordelivet efter en lång och lyckosam karriär.She departed from earthly life after a long and successful career.
- Det är sorgligt att meddela att vårt älskade husdjur har dött.It is sad to inform you that our beloved pet has died.
- Vi fick veta att två av våra höns hade gått bort under vintern.We found out that two of our chickens had died during the winter.
- 69 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oscar and Linnea are watching a nature documentary together.
- OscarDet är sorgligt när djur dör.It is sad when animals die.
- LinneaJa, det är en del av naturen.Yes, it is a part of nature.
- OscarMen de dör ju så snabbt.But they die so quickly.
- LinneaDet är tyvärr sant.That is unfortunately true.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “die” translations and entries dö, avlida, gå bort, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (gå, bort) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries avlida, bort, dö, gå, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
