fallecer
“fallecer” means “to pass away” in Spanish (polite way to say someone died).
to pass away
Also: to decease, to die
📝 In Action
Mi abuela falleció a los noventa años.
A2My grandmother passed away at the age of ninety.
Lamentamos informar que el escritor falleció anoche.
B1We regret to inform you that the writer passed away last night.
El paciente falleció por causas naturales.
B2The patient passed away from natural causes.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: fallecer
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence is the most polite way to announce someone's death in a newspaper?
📚 More Resources
📚 Etymology▼
From the old Spanish word 'falla' (lack or fault), which came from the Latin 'fallere', meaning 'to deceive' or 'to fail'. Over time, it came to mean 'to fail in life' or 'to cease'.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'fallecer' the same as 'morir'?
Yes, they mean the same thing, but 'fallecer' is much more formal and polite, like 'passed away' versus 'died'.
Why is it spelled 'fallezco' and not 'falleco'?
Spanish uses the 'zc' combination for many -ecer verbs to maintain a consistent sound across different conjugations.
Is 'fallecer' used in every Spanish-speaking country?
Yes, it is universally understood and used throughout the Spanish-speaking world in formal contexts.