How to Say "passed away" in Spanish
The Spanish word for “passed away” is “falleció” — B1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.
Examples
El escritor falleció en su casa rodeado de su familia.
The writer passed away at his home surrounded by his family.
La noticia indica que la víctima falleció en el acto.
The news indicates that the victim died instantly.
Mi abuelo falleció hace diez años.
My grandfather died ten years ago.
Past Tense Focus
'Falleció' is the simple past (preterite) form used for a single, completed action performed by 'he,' 'she,' or 'you' (formal). It marks the moment the person died.
The Formal 'C'
The base verb fallecer is an -er verb. In the present tense 'yo' form and all subjunctive forms, the 'c' changes to 'zc' (e.g., fallezco, fallezca) to keep the 'th' or 's' sound.
Mixing Past Tenses
Mistake: “Mi abuela fallecía a los 90 años.”
Correction: Mi abuela falleció a los 90 años. (Use 'falleció' [preterite] because the death was a single, completed event, not an ongoing habit.)
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