morir
“morir” means “to die” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to die
Also: to pass away, to die out
📝 In Action
Mi abuelo murió el año pasado.
A2My grandfather died last year.
Las plantas murieron por falta de agua.
A2The plants died from lack of water.
Muchas tradiciones antiguas están muriendo.
B1Many old traditions are dying out.
to be dying of/from
Also: to be starving, to be freezing, to be cracking up
📝 In Action
¡Qué calor! Me muero.
B1It's so hot! I'm dying.
Casi me muero de la risa con tu chiste.
B1I almost died of laughter at your joke.
Necesito comer algo ya, me muero de hambre.
A2I need to eat something now, I'm starving (dying of hunger).
Ponte un abrigo, te vas a morir de frío.
B1Put on a coat, you're going to freeze (die of cold).
to be crazy about
Also: to be dying for/to do something
📝 In Action
Me muero por un helado de chocolate.
B1I'm dying for a chocolate ice cream.
Los niños se mueren por ir a la playa.
B2The kids are dying to go to the beach.
Desde que la conoció, se muere por ella.
B2Ever since he met her, he's been crazy about her.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: morir
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'morir' to mean 'I am very hungry'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb 'morī', which also meant 'to die' or 'to wither away'. It's a very old word that has kept its core meaning for thousands of years.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'morir' and 'morirse'?
Great question! Often, they mean the same thing, but 'morirse' can add a bit more personal or emotional emphasis, especially in everyday speech. For the literal act of dying, both are used. For figurative meanings like 'morirse de risa' (to die of laughter), the '-se' form is almost always used.
Why is the past participle 'muerto' and not 'morido'?
'Morir' is an irregular verb, and like some other very common verbs (like 'escribir' -> 'escrito' or 'abrir' -> 'abierto'), it has a special form from its Latin roots. You just have to memorize this one, but you'll see and hear 'muerto' so often that it will soon feel natural!