Spanish Conversation · Level 111
59 words
Spanish word
fallecer
Pronunciation
IPA/faʝeˈθeɾ/
Meaning
- verbdie
Example
Mi abuelo falleció ayer.
My grandfather died yesterday.
More examples
Muchas personas fallecen de enfermedades cardíacas.
Many people die of heart disease.
Core concept
A hospital monitor showing a flatline.
Common phrases
fallecer de
die of
fallecer a los
die at the age of
Similar words
morir: Stop living in a neutral, general sense of biological death.
irse: Leave this life gently; an informal, softened way to talk about dying.
perecer: Die as the result of a disaster, accident, or other violent cause.
Definition in Spanish
Perder la vida; cesar las funciones vitales de una persona, expresión formal y respetuosa para indicar que alguien murió.
Word origin
It derives from Latin fallescere via Old Spanish falleçer, originally meaning 'to cease functioning' and later developing a polite sense 'to die'.
Usage tips
- A formal, respectful word used in obituaries and official notices while everyday speech prefers morir or morirse, and it commonly appears in third-person past forms such as 'falleció'.