Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fallecer | /faʝeˈθeɾ/ | |
| finar | /fiˈnaɾ/ | |
| finarse | /finaɾse/ (from spelling rules) | dated |
| pasar a mejor vida | /pasaɾ a mexoɾ bida/ (from spelling rules) |
The term is a euphemism for dying. The standard term for formal contexts, such as news reports, obituaries or when speaking respectfully to a grieving family, is fallecer. The noun form used to refer to the act of passing away is fallecimiento.
Which one should you use?
While fallecer is a euphemism for to pass away, morir is the direct, neutral and most common way to say to die. The term partir is a colloquial verb that conveys the idea of someone departing from this life. The forms finar and finarse are dated terms for passing away.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Fallecer is a formal way to say to pass away. In contrast, partir is a colloquial option. The terms finar and finarse are highly formal or literary and are rarely used in modern spoken Spanish.
How does it change in a sentence?
Fallecer is a regular -er verb. For example, the third-person singular preterite (past tense) is falleció (he/she passed away).
How do you pronounce it?
/faʝeˈθeɾ/
Did you know?
- The formal verb fallecer has an unexpected origin in the concept of failure, stemming from the Latin fallere which means 'to deceive' or 'to err'.
- The phrase pasar a mejor vida functions similarly to the English 'to go to a better place', suggesting a transition to a superior state of existence.
Examples in context
- El paciente puede fallecer en cualquier momento.The patient may pass away at any moment.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of fallecer.Tatoeba #977572 by Shishir, translation #48885 by CK
- Lamento comunicarles que Juan falleció esta mañana.I'm sorry to inform you that Juan passed away this morning.
- Mi más sentido pésame, su padre murió de repente.My deepest condolences, your father passed away suddenly.
- El fallecimiento de nuestra amiga nos ha dejado muy tristes.The passing away of our friend has left us very sad.
- Mi abuela decidió partir después de una larga enfermedad.My grandmother decided to pass away after a long illness.
- Mi perrito se fue esta mañana, lo extrañaré mucho.My little dog passed away this morning, I will miss him a lot.
- Mis más sinceras condolencias por el fallecimiento de tu amigo.My deepest condolences for the passing away of your friend.
- Su abuelo falleció anteayer a los 90 años.His/Her grandfather passed away the day before yesterday at the age of 90.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pass away” translations and entries fallecer, finar, pasar a mejor vida, 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 a, fallecer, finar, mejor, pasar, pasar a mejor vida, vida, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
