Spanish vocabulary · Intermediate
How to Say Obituary in Spanish: Obituario
Obituario · noun (masculine) · oh-bee-TWAH-ryoh
Obituary in Spanish is obituario, a masculine noun for a published notice of someone's death, also called esquela in Spain.
Obituario is oh-bee-TWAH-ryoh, four syllables with stress on TWAH.
Publicaron el obituario de mi abuelo en el periódico local.
They published my grandfather's obituary in the local newspaper.
Obituary in Spanish: Quick Reference
Below are the most common Spanish words for obituary, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation | Region / Register |
|---|---|---|---|
| obituario | obituary | oh-bee-TWAH-ryoh | Default, widely understood |
| esquela | obituary | Spain, funeral announcement in newspapers | |
| nota fúnebre | obituary | some Latin American countries |
How Native Speakers Use Obituario
Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.
Newspaper
Leí su obituario en la sección de esquelas del periódico.
I read his obituary in the death notices section of the newspaper.
Traditional print medium.
Online notice
La familia publicó un obituario en línea para compartir su historia.
The family published an online obituary to share his story.
Modern digital obituary.
Writing one
Es difícil escribir un obituario que capture toda una vida.
It's hard to write an obituary that captures a whole life.
Reflecting on the task.
Avoid These Mistakes When Using Obituario
Wrong stress placement
Incorrect: Pronouncing it oh-bee-too-AH-ree-oh
Correct: Pronouncing it oh-bee-TWAH-ryoh
The stress falls on the penultimate syllable, with ua forming a diphthong.
Using esquela outside Spain
Incorrect: Vi la esquela en el periódico de México.
Correct: Vi el obituario en el periódico de México.
Esquela is primarily used in Spain; in Latin America, obituario is more standard.
Lock in Obituary Vocabulary with the Parrot Method
Why word lists alone don't stick
Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.
See Obituario used by native speakers
Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using obituario in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Publicaron el obituario de mi abuelo en el periódico local. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.
Save, review, repeat, stay consistent
Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.
Common Questions About Obituary in Spanish
- How do you say obituary in Spanish?
- The universal term is obituario (oh-bee-TWAH-ryoh), while in Spain the word esquela is commonly used for death notices published in newspapers.
- What is the difference between obituario and esquela?
- Obituario is a biographical death notice, while esquela in Spain specifically refers to the formal paid announcement in a newspaper, often with a black border.
- How do you say rest in peace in Spanish?
- Rest in peace is descanse en paz, abbreviated as D.E.P. or Q.E.P.D. (que en paz descanse), commonly seen in obituaries.