The Death of a Loved One This is a sad week for my family. My mother died 5 days ago. In English it sounds better to say someone "passed away" instead of "died" . I think because when you say "died" it sounds so permanent and final. But when you say "passed" or "passed away" it sounds more like the person is passing from one room to another, or passing from one dimention to another. In your language is there a euphemism for "He died."