Which one should you use?
While 亡くなった is a polite euphemism, the word 死んだ is a blunt and potentially insensitive way to say someone died. For an even more specific nuance, 逝去されました is a formal expression that emphasizes the idea of a person's spirit departing.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
亡くなった is commonly used in casual settings. For more formal situations, you can use 亡くなられました, which is a respectful and formal way to say someone passed away. For highly formal or official announcements, or when speaking to someone of high status, ご逝去されました is a highly formal and respectful way to express that someone passed away.
How does it change in a sentence?
亡くなった is the past tense of the verb 亡くなる. The dictionary form of this verb is 亡くなる, which is used to express the act of passing away in a polite manner. Additionally, 亡くなってしまった can be used to carry a sense of regret or sorrow along with the news of passing.
How do you pronounce it?
nakunatta
Did you know?
- The verb 亡くなる is composed of the character for 'loss' or 'extinction', suggesting that the person has been 'lost' to the world rather than simply ceasing to exist.
- When announcing a death in a formal setting, people often use the phrase 旅立ち 'departure' or 'journey' to describe the act of passing away.
- Depending on the Buddhist tradition, a person who has passed away is sometimes referred to as 故人 'the late person' to maintain a respectful distance from the tragedy.
Examples in context
- 大切な友人が亡くなられましたA dear friend passed away.
- 彼女の祖父が逝去されましたHer grandfather passed away.
- 昨日、犬が亡くなったYesterday, the dog passed away.
- 父が亡くなってしまったので、葬儀に参加しますMy father passed away, so I will attend the funeral.
- 祖父が亡くなった。Sofu ga nakunatta.My grandfather passed away.
- 親戚が亡くなったことを知りました。Shinseki ga nakunatta koto o shirimashita.I learned that a relative passed away.
- 大切な人が亡くなった時は大変です。Taisetsu na hito ga nakunatta toki wa taihen desu.It is hard when someone important passes away.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are talking about a mutual acquaintance.
- 蓮 Ren結衣さん、田中さんが亡くなったと聞きましたか？Yui-san, Tanaka-san ga nakunatta to kikimashita ka?Yui, did you hear that Mr. Tanaka passed away?
- 結衣 Yuiえっ、本当ですか？信じられません。E, honto desu ka? Shinjiraremasen.What, really? I can't believe it.
- 蓮 Renはい。先週のことだそうです。Hai. Senshū no koto da sō desu.Yes. I heard it happened last week.
- 結衣 Yuiとても悲しいニュースですね。Totemo kanashii nyūsu desu ne.That is very sad news.
