perecer
“perecer” means “to perish” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
to perish
Also: to die out, to pass away
📝 In Action
Cientos de personas perecieron en el terremoto.
B2Hundreds of people perished in the earthquake.
Si no protegemos nuestra cultura, nuestras tradiciones perecerán.
C1If we don't protect our culture, our traditions will perish.
El barco se hundió y muchos marineros perecieron en el mar.
B2The ship sank and many sailors perished at sea.
to be dying of
Also: to be desperate for
📝 In Action
¡Dame algo de beber, que perezco de sed!
B1Give me something to drink, I'm dying of thirst!
Los niños perecen por comer un helado.
B2The kids are dying to have an ice cream.
Perezco de ganas de verte.
B2I'm dying to see you.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
Translate to Spanish
Words that translate to "perecer" in Spanish:
to perish→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: perecer
Question 1 of 3
How do you say 'I perish' in Spanish?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin 'perire', which means 'to go through' or 'to pass away totally'. It shares the same root as the English word 'perish'.
First recorded: 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'perecer' the same as 'morir'?
Yes, but 'perecer' is much more formal and usually refers to dying in a disaster, accident, or violent event, whereas 'morir' is the general word for death.
What does 'perecedero' mean?
It means 'perishable.' You'll see it on food packaging (alimentos perecederos) to indicate things that will go bad or 'die' quickly if not eaten.
Can I use 'perecer' for a broken phone?
Not really. It's too formal for objects. You would say 'mi teléfono murió' (casual) or 'se rompió' (it broke).