# Phrase of condolence in Spanish--need answer fast **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 26, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499 "2017-05-26T18:11:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/1 "2017-05-26T18:11:10Z")
I’m attending a wake this evening where many of the family will be primarily Spanish speakers (mostly Guatemalans, I know the dialect is a little idiosyncratic). My Spanish is pretty limited. What’s a simple and appropriate way to say something along the lines of “I’m sorry for your loss”? Thanks in advance! ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/2 "2017-05-26T18:14:51Z")
Siento tu pérdida ahora se mueven en ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/3 "2017-05-26T18:34:31Z")
Maybe bring some red, yellow and white flowers. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/4 "2017-05-27T02:09:28Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > Siento tu pérdida ahora se mueven en I don’t claim to be fluent in Spanish, but that doesn’t look like a natural Spanish sentence to me. What is your source (if you’re not a native speaker or otherwise fluent in the language)? ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/5 "2017-05-27T02:50:30Z")
“Lo siento por tu perdida” is “I’m sorry for your loss.” It’s prononuced Low see-En-toe pour two pair-DEE-da The only thing I’m not sure about is if you should be using “tu” which is the familiar “you”. I think now it is almost always used rather than the formal (Some countries use vos, Guatemala apparently does some, but I’m sure they’d know tu as well.) That is also the singular form for speaking to one person “Vosotros” is the plural familiar you, but I think most of South America uses Ustedes. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/6 "2017-05-27T03:06:16Z")
Keeping in mind my Spanish is Colombian paisa dialect (which is considered a rather neutral dialect, rather similar to castellano) I would suggest avoiding the tú/usted issue entirely by choosing simple phrases using the possessive pronoun _su_ (your) or mi(my). Appropriate short phrases: Lamento mucho su perdida. (I lament your loss.) La-MINT-oh MOO-choh sue purr-DEE-dah Mi más sentido pésame. (My deepest condolences.) Me MAHS sin-TEE-doh PAY-sah-may ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/7 "2017-05-27T03:41:28Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > Keeping in mind my Spanish is Colombian paisa dialect (which is considered a rather neutral dialect, rather similar to castellano) > > I would suggest avoiding the tú/usted issue entirely by choosing simple phrases using the possessive pronoun _su_ (your) or mi(my). > Appropriate short phrases: > > Lamento mucho su perdida. (I lament your loss.) La-MINT-oh MOO-choh sue purr-DEE-dah > > Mi más sentido pésame. (My deepest condolences.) Me MAHS sin-TEE-doh PAY-sah-may You didn’t really avoid the tú/usted issue since you used “su” (which can go with “usted” or “ustedes”). It would not be clear from that phrase whether you were saying “I lament your [family’s] loss” or “I lament your [personal] loss”, with the latter being the formal phrasing (as opposed to “Lamento much tu perdida”, the informal phrasing). But I think you’re right about that phrasing. As a gringo, it’s best to err on the formal side. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/8 "2017-05-27T03:59:11Z")
“Chinga tu Madre” would be completely inappropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/9 "2017-05-27T04:20:24Z")
Lo siento. (I’m sorry.) Mis condolencias. (My condolences.) Lo acompaño en sus sentimientos. (I share your (sorrowful) sentiments.) ---
**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/10 "2017-05-27T05:37:40Z")
Thanks all. I stuck with “lo siento.” Luckily a bilingual person (grandson) was nearby for some translations. It was more a matter of showing up, of course, than anything I might eloquently say in any language. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/11 "2017-05-27T05:50:05Z")
My go-to phrase is “mi más sentido pésame” (heartfelt condolences). Glad you found an interpreter. That’s a bad time for mistakes. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/12 "2017-05-27T18:17:46Z")
> [@](#): > > “Lo siento por tu perdida” is “I’m sorry for your loss.” > It’s prononuced Low see-En-toe pour two pair-DEE-da > [@](#): > > Lamento mucho su perdida. (I lament your loss.) La-MINT-oh MOO-choh sue purr-DEE-dah There’s an accent over the e in pérdida [http://dle.rae.es/?id=SYJfFP1](http://dle.rae.es/?id=SYJfFP1) So it’d be “PAIR-dee-da” ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/13 "2017-05-27T18:35:32Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > There’s an accent over the e in pérdida > [http://dle.rae.es/?id=SYJfFP1](http://dle.rae.es/?id=SYJfFP1) > > So it’d be “PAIR-dee-da” Indeed. Well caught. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phrase-of-condolence-in-spanish-need-answer-fast/787499/14 "2017-05-27T19:25:33Z")
> [@jerez](#): > > There’s an accent over the e in pérdida > [http://dle.rae.es/?id=SYJfFP1](http://dle.rae.es/?id=SYJfFP1) > > So it’d be “PAIR-dee-da” I guess I’ve pronounced that wrong for years. No one ever corrected me. But then I am a gringo.