DEATH

à l’article de la mort - at death’s door

la mort - death

casser sa pipe - to kick the bucket (argot)

clampser - to die/snuff it (very familiar)

claquer - to die (familiar)

une surdose - an overdose

décéder - to pass away (more formal)

décéder de mort naturelle - to die of natural causes (more formal)

mordre la poussière - to bite the dust

mourir (de) - to die (of)

mourir de mort naturelle - to die of natural causes

mourir de sa belle mort - to die a natural death (familiar)

mourir prématurément - to die an early death

nous quitter - to be taken away (euphemism for dying) e.g. un ami nous a quitté

partir - to depart this life (euphemism)

passer de vie à trépas - to pass on

passer l’arme à gauche - to go west (euphemism for dying)

perdre sa vie - to lose your life

rendre l’âme - to breathe/take your last breath

rendre son dernier souffle - to breathe/take your last breath

s’éteindre - to pass away (generally of old age)

s’en aller - depart this life (euphemism)

tomber raide mort - to drop dead

trouver sa mort - to pass away (generally because of an accident)

une mort paisible - a peaceful death

y laisser sa peau - to cost (sb) their life/to lose your life

y rester - to die/kick the bucket

GRIEF

accablé par le chagrin - grief-stricken

accablé de chagrin/douleur - grief-stricken

de chagrin - in grief (when mourning the death of sb)

en être tout retourné - to be bowled over/to be devastated~shocked by

être anéanti - to be torn in two

faire le deuil de (qqn) - to grieve/mourn (sb)

faire son deuil - to grieve/mourn

fou/folle de chagrin - mad with grief

la perte (d’un être cher) - bereavement

le deuil - grief

le chagrin - grief

la douleur - grief

la peine - grief

un psychologue spécialiste du deuil - a grief counselor

se complaire dans le malheur - to wallow in your grief

A lot of my French posts are related to how I feel when I write them.

My uncle found my cousin dead in his apartment yesterday. Apparently he looked like he was sleeping. We lived in different cities and he was about 15 years older than me so we didn’t know each other very well. But my brother remembers that he gave him a tiger when he was little and that he was very kind to him. 

Some of the phrases I have provided may seem a little crass in light of this, but this post is still a learning tool and I want everyone to have a full and nuanced understanding of the vocabulary related to the subject.

Here is an example of some of the words in context:

Mon cousin s’en est allé hier. J’espère que c’était une mort paisible. Nous en étions tout retourné quand mon oncle nous a donné la nouvelle. Il est accablé de chagrin. Sa perte touche toute la famille, qui est maintenant plus petite qu’elle ne devrait être.

Feel free to remove this part when you reblog.

I’m in exam week so that’s my current vocab

J’en peux plus = I’ve had enough

J’en ai marre = I’ve had enough/I’m done

C’est bon, j’arrête = that’s it, I’m stopping

J’abandonne = I give up

C’est tellement relou = It’s so annoying

Je veux mourir = I wanna die

Je suis au bout de ma vie = I’m at the end of my life

(that’s one of my fav we use it a lot)

Je suis au bout du rouleau = I’m at the end of the roll

(expression to say you’re done)

If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. There are many support services that are here to help. 

If you are located in the United States, consider reaching out to the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine.

If you are located in the United Kingdom, The Mix is here to help you with any challenge you are facing.  Reach out online, on social or through their free and confidential helpline.

If you are reading this from in any other country in Europe,  Mental Health Europe has compiled a list of helplines and other resources in your country.