ella falleció
/eʝa faʝeθjo/from spelling rules
ella falleció is the Spanish way to say she passed away.
This phrase is used as a polite and respectful euphemism to announce that a woman has died.
What does it mean word for word?
The word falleció is a single lexical unit meaning to pass away or to die. It is not a phrasal verb composed of multiple parts like the English equivalent.
Which one should you use?
While ella falleció is a soft and polite way to express the concept, the phrase ella murió is the direct and blunt way to say she died.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ella falleció is a formal and polite expression. Other formal options include ella ha fallecido.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this phrase, the verb falleció is conjugated in the third-person singular preterite to indicate that the death was a completed action in the past.
How do you pronounce it?
/eʝa faʝeθjo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, instead of saying someone 'passed away', people use the phrase se nos fue, which translates to 'she went from us'.
- If you want to be even more indirect, you can use the phrase partió, meaning 'she departed', which carries a poetic and spiritual connotation.
- Spanish speakers may say pasó a mejor vida to describe someone who passed away, which literally means they 'passed to a better life'.
Examples in context
- Ella falleció hace dos días.She passed away two days ago.This sentence shows how to use ella falleció to indicate how many days ago the death occurred.Tatoeba #3216327 by cueyayotl, translation #310144 by CK
- Ella falleció en la tarde de ayer.She passed away yesterday afternoon.This sentence uses ella falleció to specify the time of day the death occurred.Tatoeba #359388 by tatoerique, translation #1366234 by PeterR
- Ella falleció tranquilamente mientras dormía.She passed away peacefully in her sleep.This sentence uses ella falleció to describe the manner in which she died.Tatoeba #1258541 by arashi_29, translation #314913 by CK
- Mi más sentido pésame por la pérdida. Ella falleció ayer.My deepest condolences for your loss. She passed away yesterday.
- Quisiera expresar mi solidaridad en estos momentos difíciles. Ella ha fallecido, y estoy aquí para ofrecer mi apoyo.I would like to express my solidarity in these difficult times. She passed away, and I am here to offer my support.
- Estoy devastado por la noticia. Ella nos dejó, y el vacío que deja es difícil de llenar.I am devastated by the news. She passed away, and the void she leaves behind is hard to fill.
- Ayer, ella se nos fue, y el dolor es inmenso para todos nosotros.Yesterday, she left us, and the pain is immense for all of us.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are talking about a former teacher.
- LucíaMe enteré de que la profesora murió.I found out that the teacher died.
- JavierSí, ella falleció la semana pasada.Yes, she passed away last week.
- LucíaLo siento mucho, era una gran mujer.I am very sorry, she was a great woman.
- JavierAsí es, siempre la recordaremos.That is true, we will always remember her.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
