Condolences in English. Expressions of sympathy and condolences in English

To be polite and show your involvement in other people's lives, modern world there is still a tradition of writing letters. Some of them may be joyful, such as congratulations. However, there are those whose reason is sad. One such document is a letter of condolence to English language. It is sent in one case - due to the death of a familiar person. Expressing such sad emotions is considered good manners. So the author of the letter talks about his experiences and supports the one who has experienced a sense of loss. In order to understand how to express condolences in English and what words and phrases are best for this, you need to familiarize yourself with the tips and recommendations described below.

General characteristics of a letter of condolence

Death condolences in English are often sent in the format of a special letter, or the letter of condolence. In English, the translation of the word "condolence" would be condolence. The synonym can be "sympathy", and a variant of such a name as the letter of sympathy also occurs.

For any sample letter of condolence, it is customary to use neutral language, without any colorful turns and artistic techniques. The reader is unlikely to appreciate the literary talent of the author, since the purpose of such a document is to share the bitterness of loss.

When writing an appropriate paper on the occasion of mourning the death of a person, it is worth following some template constructions in order to be as concise as possible and at the same time show the reader your sincere interest and sympathy. So, you should not delve into the roots of acquaintance with the deceased. One can only mention how dear he or she was to everyone. It is also possible to express why the loss of such a person is the personal tragedy of the author of the letter. The recipient is always ready to accept support if it does not cross ethical boundaries and is real.

Useful phrases when composing the letter of condolence

When translating the text of a letter into English, you can use the following expressions to help convey condolences:

· I'm very sorry to share with you the bitterness of loss … I am very sorry to share with you the bitterness of loss ...

I offer you my sincere condolences and wish you the strength of spirit … I offer you my sincere condolences and wish you strength of mind...

It is sad to realize that … has passed away … It is sad to realize that ... has passed away ...

· It's bitter for me to think that … has left this world … It makes me sad to think that... left this world...

Accept my condolences and try to persevere in this grief … Please accept my condolences and try to endure this grief ...

Below is an example of such a letter that helps express my condolences in English.

Losing a loved one or loved one is not the best reason to train your English skills. However, when a similar misfortune happens to friends, colleagues or partners abroad, the first thought is often “How to express condolences in English?” Not everyone copes with this task in their native language, let alone a foreign one.

Funeral and death in English: basic vocabulary

To get started, read the words on the topic "death, funeral, condolences." For your convenience, here is a transcription and translation.

Table 1. Words on the topic of death, condolences in English

		admit, accept (loss)
		grieving
		burial
case koffin	ˈkɑːskɪt ˈkɒfɪn
	ˈkɑːskɪt kəʊtʃ	hearse
		cemetery
condolences	kənˈdəʊlənsiz	condolences
	ˈdedɪˌkeɪtɪd	devoted
	dəʊˈneɪʃ(ə)n	alms, donation
		bury
	ˈfaɪn(ə)lraɪts	farewell ceremony
		funeral
	ˈmɔː(r)nə(r)	mourner, mourner
		newspaper article about death
	ˈpɔːlˌbeərə(r)	pallbearer)

Verbal condolences for death

If you are taking part in a funeral ceremony, then the first thing you should think about is words of condolence.

I am so sorry to hear about your loss.

I was heartbroken by this sad news.

I will never forget when he/she…

You were such a dedicated friend/mother/sister to ___.

He/She will be sadly missed.

I'm sorry, but I am at a loss for words.

If you need anything, please ask.

I'm here for you if you need anything.

How to express written condolences

When sending condolences in writing, you can follow the standard structure: the main text - a description of the donation (if you transfer money or send flowers / wreath, etc.) - the final part.

Table 2. How to express condolences in English

Main text

Please accept my/our sincere condolences. - Please accept my/our sincere condolences. I would like to express my sincere condolences on the death of ___. (name) He/She was ___. - I would like to express my sincere condolences on the passing of ___. He/she was ___. I'm sorry I could not convey my condolences in person. I'm sorry I can't express my condolences in person.

Donation Accompanying Text

Please accept these flowers from our family. - Please accept these flowers from our family. I have made a donation to ___ (charity or organization) in ___ (name's) honor. - I sent a donation in honor of ___ (deceased's name) to ___ (organization name). As per your request, we have made a donation to ___ in lieu of flowers. - Regarding your request, we have sent a donation to ___ instead of flowers.

Final part

Your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers. Wishing you peace as you grieve this loss. I wish you peace in your hours of loss.

How to write condolences for death

When expressing condolences in writing, pay attention to the spelling. Spelling errors in this kind of text can cause extreme dissatisfaction, given the occasion for writing.

• on the spelling of the word “peace, peace, appeasement” “peace” (not “piece”)
• capitalizing the word "God" "God" (not "god")
• spelling the word "condolences" "condolences"
• spelling the word "prayers" "prayers"

I give living examples of Americans, what words of condolence you can write / say to your friend if grief happened in the family. And also, I will write that you need to respond to sympathy yourself.

Usually, Americans are not scattered for long speeches, respectively, look at the situation. If you know a person recently, then you can limit yourself to simple short phrases.

How to write in English that a person is dead

He died. Died
He passed away. Gone from life. Ended up.
He was gone. He was gone. He left.
He is in a better place. Gone to a better world.

Dad's gone, he died. The Pope is no more, he is dead.
He was killed. He was killed.
He died in a car accident. He died in an accident.

I sincerely sympathize with your loss

Truly sorry for your loss. Sincere condolences for your loss.
I am very sorry for your loss. I am very sorry for your loss.

So sorry for your loss. My condolences on your loss.
So incredibly sad. I'm sorry for your loss. Terribly sad. I'm sorry for your loss.
Sorry for your loss, I wish you no more bad things. I sympathize / mourn / sympathize with your grief. I wish nothing more bad happened in your life.

I'm extremely sorry to hear. Sorry to hear this. Very sorry to hear this.
Sorry to hear of the passing. Very sorry to hear about the departure.
Sorry for your loss. take care. My condolences. Take care.

The word RIP - - stands for Rest in peace and has the following translations:

RIP, bro. Sleep in peace, brother.
RIP to your mom. Peace be upon your mother.
Rest in peace
May he rest in peace. May he rest in peace.

I'm/we're with you. Hang in there, buddy. I/we are with you. Hold on buddy.
Prayers are with you and your family. My prayers are with you and your family.
God rest his soul, take your time. The Lord will rest his soul. Do not rush. Everything has its time.
Take care and take all the time you need. Take care of yourself and give yourself the time you need.
I cannot express my sympathy enough. Be well. I can't express all my sympathy. Everything will be fine.

Just know that he will always be with you in your heart and watching over you all. Just know that he will always be with you in your heart and will watch over you.

May God comfort you, and your family. You are in my prayers.
May God comfort you and your family. You are in my prayers.

Sorry to hear the sad news. Remember I'm here.
Sorry to hear the sad news. Remember I'm here.

Eternal Memory for your mother/father/brother/son. You have my support.
Eternal memory for your mother / father / brother / son. You can count on my support.

Your heart needs time before it can accept this. Your heart needs time before it can accept the loss.

I hope things get better soon for you. Hope you get better soon.

Express sympathy if dead close person in English, you can use many other expressions. See more examples.

My condolences

My condolences. My condolences.
Condolences to you and your family. Condolences to you and your family.
Terrible news, my condolences. Terrible news, my condolences.

Condolence for your loss. Condolences on the death.
My deepest condolences. My deepest condolences.

Sincere condolences. Sincere condolences.
My condolences to you and your family. My condolences to you and your family.
My condolences. Take some time off. My condolences. You need time to leave.

My deepest condolences in these moments. My deepest condolences at this moment.
Deepest sympathy to you and the family from us. Most sincere condolences to you and your family.

I am so sorry for your loss. You have my deepest condolences.
Sincere condolences for your loss. Please accept my deepest condolences.

If you know a person for a long time and he is your good friend

Use these phrases with clarification if a husband/brother/sister/mother/dad/daughter/son has died, etc.

I'm sorry about your mother's/son's/brother's death.
I regret the death of your mother/son/brother.

I am terribly sorry to hear about the passing away of your husband. May him rest in peace. Condolences to you and your family. Be strong and never give up.
I am terribly sorry to hear of your husband's passing. Peace be upon him. Condolences to you and your family. Be strong and never give up.

Very sorry to hear such tragic news. Take time to be with family and try to keep all the good memories close in mind.
It's very sad to hear such tragic news. You need to be with your family and try to think positive.

My earnest sympathies to the entire family. I know it's hard, but we all must "just keep swimming".
My sincere condolences to all your family. I know it's hard, but you have to keep living.

All my sympathy and compassion for you and your family.
Sincere sympathy and compassion to you and your family.

I'm so sorry to see this news from you. Very best wishes and condolences from me to all your family.
I'm sorry to see this news from you. My very best wishes and condolences to all your family.

More words of support in grief in English

That's one of the worst things one can experience in life. Stay strong and never give up.
This is the worst thing in life. Hold on and never give up.

This must have hit you very hard. Please accept my prayers for you.
Grief is a very strong blow to you. Please accept my prayers.

Keep the faith. Death is not the end, your mum/son is alive, her soul! God bless!
Don't lose faith. Death is not the end, your mother/son, her/his soul is alive! God bless you!

Still the life must go on and I wish you to find a force to keep it going.
And yet, life must go on, I want you to find the strength to continue to live.

Losing somebody is very tough. Although nothing or nobody can replace a person, I wish for you that that will be filled with light.
Losing someone is very hard. Although nothing or no one can replace a person. I wish you that this darkness was filled with light.

I wish you all the power to get through this. The world is such a sad place sometimes.
I wish you the strength to get through this. Sometimes the world is very sad.

What does friendship mean for each of us? I think every person puts a deep meaning into this word. Time passes, everything in life changes, and our best friends always remain an integral part of our lives. They understand us in everything, they know when it is better to remain silent and know how to pick up at the right moment correct words. They say the best friend is the one you can sit on the porch with without saying a word and then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had in your life. ( The best kind of friend is the one you could sit on a porch with, never saying a word, and walk away feeling like that was the best conversation you"ve had). Indeed best friends the best friends) are able to understand us perfectly ( to take the hint), but what if it is with a word that you can support your best friend in difficult times more than ever ( to stand by one "s best friend) and help him cope with the situation? Finding the right words can sometimes be difficult, and even more so if your friend does not speak Russian at all, and you need to express your feelings in English. In our article, we will tell you about how to support a friend in English, and what expressions exist in English to encourage ( encourage), console > ( console) or express sympathy to your best friend ( sympathize with the best friend).

Some Helpful Encouraging Phrases
Good	Good
good for you!	So much the better for you!
There is a good boy (girl)!	Here's a smart one!
Come, come Tut, tut Well, well Now, now there, there	Oh well Calm down Completeness, completeness
Here...	Well...
go your own way	Keep up the good work
Cheer up! Never say die!	Do not be upset!
Keep up your spirits! Keep your chin up! Make the best of it!	Do not lose hope!
Pluck up your courage	Gather your spirit
Pull yourself together	Get a hold of yourself
Brace yourself!	Get it together!
There's no harm done	Nothing bad happened
I hope you will get on all right	I hope you're doing well

Best friends are able to experience joy and sadness together with us, they always understand and accept us as we are. We are used to the fact that our friends play a big role in our lives, and sometimes we do not notice that we also influence their lives. Friends are needed not only to share happy moments and rejoice together, but also to sympathize, empathize and support each other in difficult times. “A word can kill, or you can resurrect,” says folk wisdom, therefore, when sympathizing or consoling, it is very important to choose the right words.

Some Useful Phrases for Comfort and Sympathy
things will come right It will all come round It will blow over	Everything will work out
Poor thing!	Poor thing!
Alas!	Alas!
Oh, it's (that's) too bad! How awful! How dreadful!	How terrible!
What a shame! What a pity!	What a pity!
I'm so sorry! (about)…	How embarrassing! (what)…
I sympathize with you I am feeling for you	I really sympathize with you
I wish I could do something for you	I would like to do something for you
Could I help you in any way?	Can I help you with something?
Take it easy	Look at things easier
Don't take it so much (close) to heart	Don't take everything so personally
Don't worry	Don't worry
Now, steady on	Calm down, calm down
There is no getting away from it	You can't get away from this
It can't be helped	Nothing to do about
It might have been worse	Could be worse
Hard (bad) luck!	You were unlucky!
Better luck next time!	Better luck next time!
Let's hope for the best	Let us hope for the best
things to happen	Anything can happen
You'll get over it	You will survive it
Never mind!	Nothing! Pay no attention!
Don't let that distress (upset) you	Don't let it upset you (upset)
Don't let that worry you	Don't let it worry you
Calm down	Calm down
Everything will be just fine	Everything will be fine
I'll lend you a hand	I will help you

The English philosopher and jurist Francis Bacon once said: “True friendship doubles joy, and divides sorrows in half” ( True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils). I hope that with the help of the above expressions, you can easily rejoice and share sorrows with your friends in English.

Very often, when it is simply vital to provide moral support to other people, express your sympathy or condolences on this or that occasion, say the right words, for some reason these very words do not come to mind. And if it needs to be said in English, then without pre-training and cramming is indispensable. Most people who need support or sympathy want to know that their loved ones care and think about them.

Sympathy - sympathy

First, let's learn a few words and expressions:

• sympathy [‘sɪmpəθɪ]- sympathy, sympathy, compassion
• a man of wide sympathies - a sympathetic person
  - Bill is a man of wide sympathies and you can always rely on his support - Bill is a sympathetic person and you can always rely on his support.
• you have my sympathies / my sympathies are with you - I sympathize with you, I'm on your side
• to sympathize [‘sɪmpəθaɪz] with smb. - sympathize with smb. or pity someone.
  - I sympathize with poor girl - I feel sorry for the poor girl
• to sympathize with smb. in his / her / feelings - to share someone's. feelings
  - I sympathize with you in your fear - I share your fear.
• to feel sorry for smb - sympathize with someone
  - I feel sorry for him - I sympathize with him
• I'm so sorry - I'm so sorry
  - I'm so sorry you have lost your job - I'm so sorry that you lost your job

Reassurance - words of support and comfort

Google shortcode

In addition to the expressions I'm so sorry" and " I sympathize with you There are many more on-duty phrases that will help you not only nod silently in response to the complaints of loved ones, but look like a sympathetic and warm person. What is the best way to respond when people share their problems with you, as native speakers would? If the problem is really from the category of serious ones, you can exclaim “ Oh my God!» ( Oh my God! ), or " That's horrible/terrible!» ( just awful! ). If the problem is commonplace, you can limit yourself to the phrase " That's a pity» ( what a pity ). As the interlocutor pours out his soul, insert from time to time such phrases as “ That must have been awful!» ( I can imagine how terrible it was! ), « How well I understand you!» ( I understand you so well! ), « You must be feeling terrible!» ( You must be in a terrible state! ).

Don't forget to give your friend moral support as well. I believe all will be well" (I'm sure everything will work out ), and also console him with these words - “ Calm yourself! / Don't worry! / Cool it! / Simmer down! / Keep cool! /Calm down!" (these are variations of " calm down! "). You can also say the following words of comfort:

• Don't be nervous! - don't be nervous!
• Don't take it to heart. - Do not take to heart
• Crying won't help. - tears won't help here
• Take it easy. - never mind
• Pull yourself together. - get yourself together
• Don't get excited! - don't worry
• Don't lose control - control yourself
• Pay no attention - do not pay attention

It is best to express sympathy with such simple gestures as a handshake ( holding a hand), hug ( giving a hug), you can cry for a couple ( share tears), send a postcard ( send a card), become a voluntary listener ( provide a listening ear) or let yourself cry into your vest ( provide a shoulder to cry on).
When showing sympathy, the main thing is not to overdo it and not overact, otherwise your reaction will look theatrical and insincere.

condolences - condolences

Words of condolence are always difficult to pronounce, choose the phrase that is close to you:

• I am so sorry for your loss - condolences to your loss
• Could I help you… - If I can help…
• Accept my most sincere condolences. “I offer my sincere condolences.
• Please accept my sympathy - condolences from the bottom of my heart
• Please accept my condolences - My condolences.
• We grieve with you - we mourn with you
• I feel deeply for your sorrow / I share your grief/sorrow. I share your sadness.
• I understand your grief - I understand your grief.
• What a painful loss! What a loss you have been!

We wish you to say as often as possible