Mexicans once a year welcome their cherished dead during the Day of the Dead celebration. To dine, drink, dance, and sing with us, the dead pass from their realm into ours. This year, the Mexican holiday will be celebrated on the 1st and 2nd of November, but how much do you know about this spooky festival?
Day of the Dead combines the ancient Aztec custom of celebrating ancestors with All Souls’ Day, a holiday that Spanish invaders brought to Mexico starting in the early 1500s.
Celebrated primarily in Mexico, Latin America and parts of the United States, people who celebrate the Day of the Dead will be Spanish speakers, so you may also hear the festival referred to as ‘Día de los Muertos’.
In this guide, we’ll explore the traditions of the Day of the Dead, how to go about Learning Spanish in time for the celebration, and some of the key Spanish phrases you’ll need to know if you plan on celebrating on November 2nd this year!
How is the Day of the Dead celebrated?
Many families in Mexico will spend November 1 honouring their children, often known as “angelitos” (little angels), by placing toys and balloons on their graves. They will observe All Saints Day, a holiday honouring adults who have passed away, on November 2.
To remember their loved ones, families build “ofrendas” (altars) on their graves. Additionally, they utilise marigolds known as cempasuchil flowers, which are thought to help guide the spirits of the deceased back to their homes in the family cemetery.
The day’s primary symbol is the skull, which stands for life’s cyclicity. Both the living and the dead can receive gifts of sugar skulls or chocolate skulls. Pan de muerto, a bread that can be baked in various shapes and is frequently covered with white frosting to resemble twisted bones, is another well-liked item.
Last year, over 1 million people were estimated to have attended the Day of The Dead parade in Mexico City.
Celebrations in different parts of Latin America
Across Mexico, doors are left open for visitors, who enter with clean hands and partake of the traditional foods, particularly their loved ones’ favourites. Tantawawas, chicha, sugarcane, candy, and adorned pastries decorate tables.
More food, music, and prayers are offered to the departed in the cemetery. The Da de Los Santos is a happy occasion instead of a sombre one. Families in Ecuador flock to cemeteries to commemorate loved ones; it is a feast with food, drink, and dancing.
In Cusco, November 1 is known as Da de todos los Santos Vivos, or Day of the Living Saints, and it is a national holiday in Peru. Famous suckling pigs and tamales are served as part of the celebration.
Visits to cemeteries are held on November 2 in observance of the holiday known as Da de los Santos Difuntos or Day of the Deceased Saints.
Spanish phrases for Day of the Dead
Now that we know ‘El día de los muertos’ means Day of the Dead in Spanish, let’s look at some more Spanish words and phrases you should learn, and you’re likely to hear during Day of the Dead celebrations!
Bear in mind, there will likely still be some other Spanish basics to get to grips with if you plan on travelling to Mexico — like how to say ‘thank-you’ in Spanish, for example — but here are the most popular Day of the Dead phrases you’ll need to start celebrating.
De todos los santos or día de todos los santos
November 1 is observed as Da de Los Santos, or All Saints Day, to honour all the saints, known and unknown, of the Catholic faithful.
La cultura mexicana
This translates to ‘Mexican culture’, which, of course, the Day of the Dead is deeply rooted in as Mexicans will celebrate and give offerings to their deceased relatives.
el más allá
This means ‘afterlife’ or ‘the beyond’. Mexican people believe that on the Day of the Dead, the gates to the realm of death open, and our beloved ones can visit us.
descanse en paz
Translating to ‘rest in peace’, this is a reasonably easy phrase to learn as you will want to show respect for those who are no longer with us.
Colgar los tenis
Literal meaning: To hang up the sneakers. People signal something by putting their shoes on the electric cables that cross streets in many nations. In Mexico, it denotes a death intended to be announced to the neighbourhood.
Petatearse
A petate is a traditional Mexican woven carpet that ordinary people in rural areas and small towns use as a bed.
They served as places where people gave birth, slept, prayed, got married, and died throughout prehistoric times, and some civilisations utilised them to symbolise the circle of life.
During difficult times like the revolution, when there weren’t enough coffins, locals wrapped petates around dead bodies. The Royal Spanish Academy recognises the verb form of the noun petate, which is called petatearse.
Looking to learn Spanish fast for dia de los muertos?
Visiting Mexico and participating in the festivities firsthand is the most incredible way to learn about the Day of the Dead festival. The top sites to experience this festival are in Michoacán, Aguascalientes, Oaxaca, and Mexico City.
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Day of the Dead FAQs
What exactly is celebrated on the Day of the Dead?
The event, primarily observed in Mexico on November 1 and 2, is similar to a family reunion, except that the honoured guests are deceased ancestors. The Day of the Dead is a happy holiday that encourages remembrance of the dead and celebration of their memory.
Why is it called the Day of the Dead?
El Dia de los Muertos dates back to the Aztecs, who celebrated the dead for a month rather than just a few days. The deity Mictecacihuatl oversaw the celebrations. Although the ancient festival celebrates life in its embracing of death, the annual ritual includes skeletons, altars, and other symbols of death.
Is it OK to say Happy Día de los Muertos?
Happy Day of the Dead is a greeting to wish individuals who commemorate the occasion well. This is “Feliz Día de los Muertos” in Spanish.
