How to Say "dead person" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “dead person” is “muerto” — use 'muerto' when referring to individuals who have died, especially in contexts like news reports, accident statistics, or when the focus is on the fact of death itself, often in the plural..
muerto
/MWER-toh//ˈmweɾto/
Examples
El terremoto causó miles de muertos.
The earthquake caused thousands of deaths.
El accidente de tráfico dejó dos muertos y varios heridos.
The traffic accident left two dead (people) and several injured.
El Día de los Muertos es una celebración importante en México.
The Day of the Dead is an important celebration in Mexico.
Encontraron a un muerto en el río.
They found a dead person in the river.
'Los muertos' = 'The Dead'
When you use 'muerto' with 'el', 'la', 'los', or 'las', it acts as a noun. 'Los muertos' is a common way to refer to 'the dead' as a group.
difunto
/dee-FOON-toh//diˈfun.to/
Examples
La viuda del difunto agradeció las condolencias.
The deceased's widow thanked everyone for their condolences.
La familia del difunto recibió muchas flores.
The family of the deceased received many flowers.
En México, celebran el Día de los Fieles Difuntos.
In Mexico, they celebrate the Day of the Faithful Departed.
Choosing Between 'Muerto' and 'Difunto'
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