Condolences - how to express them?

Before we move on to expressing condolences, it's worth mentioning what they actually are.

Condolences aren't just a sign of respect for the deceased and their family. They're primarily an expression of sympathy and grief over the death of a loved one. The purpose of offering condolences is to express support and understanding for the person experiencing the loss. 

When should condolences be offered? In Poland, it's customary to express condolences immediately after the funeral, but they can also be offered earlier or later. Condolences can be expressed in various ways, such as verbally, by phone, or by text message. Sending them in traditional condolence postcards is becoming less popular, while condolences sent in a note with a bouquet of sympathy flowers is growing in popularity .

Here's how to express condolences to family, friends, and our loved ones:
 

Our deepest condolences. Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time. 

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There are no words to express our sadness.

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My sincerest condolences on the death of [XXX]. We will never forget him/her.

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My sincere condolences for your tragic loss. I wish you comfort and peace during this difficult time.
 

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Your sadness is our sadness. Ccondolences to you and your family.
 

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My condolences. I am with you during this difficult time.
 

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Let these flowers bring you comfort in times of sadness/mourning. Don't forget that you can count on us.

If you would like your condolences to convey more and support your loved one during their grief, you can also add a sentence about your support and willingness to help to the above condolences:  
 

... Know that you are not alone in this difficult time and that I am here for you if you need anything.

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... Don't forget that you can count on us. Let us know if you need help or to talk. 

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... Sending my sincerest condolences to you and your family. If I can be of any assistance, please don't hesitate to let me know.

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... I share in your sadness and hope you find comfort in your beautiful memories of [name of the deceased]. In the meantime, don't forget that you can count on us. Let us know if you need help or to talk. 

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... My thoughts are with you and I wish you strength during this difficult time. May these flowers remind you to focus on the beauty of life when the pain is most painful.

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... A person may be gone, but their memories remain. Find comfort in the good memories you had with him/her. 

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... We send our love and sincerest condolences on the death of [XXX]. Remember, we are here for you if you need us.

In our opinion, the most beautiful condolences are those that not only remember the deceased but also assure mourners of our willingness to help and the support they can count on.

We also encourage you to send your sincerest condolences along with a bouquet of sympathy flowers (which can be delivered to the mourner's home in Poland or abroad) or funeral flowers (which can be delivered to the funeral home or the ceremony site). 

Here are examples of formal condolences — for companies, institutions, colleagues. We would send these typically formal condolences to people with whom we have a professional relationship and their families — especially if we did not know the deceased personally. 


Our sincerest condolences.
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Our sincerest condolences on the death of [XXX]. 
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Our condolences on the death of your mother/father. Team [XXX]
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It is with great sadness that we learned of the death of Mr./Ms. [XXX]. Our condolences to the family and loved ones.
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On behalf of myself and the company [XXX], I offer my deepest sympathy on the death of Mr./Ms. [XXX].
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It is with profound sadness that we received the news of the death of Mr./Ms. [XXX]. On behalf of myself and the team [team name], we offer our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones.
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On behalf of myself and the company [XXX], I offer my deepest sympathy on the death of [XXX]. Mr./Ms. [XXX] was a wonderful colleague/friend. We will miss him greatly.

I will remember you in my thoughts and prayers.
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I am deeply saddened by the news of your tremendous loss! The deceased's soul will be in my prayers.
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May God grant him/her eternal peace. / May his/her soul rest in peace.
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I offer you my deepest sympathy on the death of [XXX]. I believe that [XXX] is already in heaven and praying for you.
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I am very sorry to hear about [XXX]'s death. May God give you strength in this difficult time.
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[XXX] was a wonderful person who was always ready to help others. May God welcome him/her into his kingdom.
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May God bless [XXX], you, and your entire family and bring healing and peace.

Funeral sash/ribbon inscriptions have a slightly different format and message than condolences. We offer condolences to mourners, those coping with the loss of a loved one. Inscriptions on a ribbon often serve as a way to pay respects to the deceased and serve as a final farewell.

For ready-made funeral ribbon message ideas, please visit our post:

Expressing gratitude for condolences is a beautiful gesture, and we don't always have to be ready to do so immediately. Sometimes, it takes more time to come to terms with the loss. If we are ready, we can express our gratitude for condolences in the following ways:
 

Thank you for your words of encouragement.

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We appreciate your support and kindness. It means a lot to us.

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Thank you so much for your words of support and sympathy. They mean a lot to us during this difficult time.

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We are so grateful for your condolences. Thank you for being with us during this difficult time.

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Thank you so much for remembering [XXX]. We, too, will miss her greatly. Thank you also for being with us during this difficult time.

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Thank you for your wonderful words of support, which made us feel less alone during this difficult time. 

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We sincerely thank you for your condolences. We will always remember your support.

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We would like to express our sincere thanks for your condolences and support. 

Sometimes we want to offer condolences to the families of our foreign friends, loved ones, and colleagues. Here are beautiful condolence templates: 

in Polish   in German  in Dutch

Condolences can also be expressed remotely: by phone, text message (see below), by sending a letter or traditional greeting card by post, or even by ordering a condolence bouquet delivered to the mourner. This last option is especially popular in Poland due to its fast delivery times. Unlike traditional postcards, Euroflorist condolence cards with flowers can even be delivered on the same day.  

Is it appropriate to express condolences via text message or instant messenger?

We're increasingly choosing to send birthday wishes or Christmas wishes to loved ones via text message or instant messaging. But is it also appropriate to offer condolences via text message? 

Opinions on this topic are divided. Nowadays, text messages and other instant messaging are a common form of communication, but on the other hand, they are considered less personal than a phone call or a face-to-face meeting. In our opinion, much depends on the closeness of our relationship with the deceased and the mourner.

If the person is very close to us, we consider sending a condolence message a good compromise, asking at the end if the recipient would like a phone call or a visit. Grief is an individual process, and everyone experiences it differently. A person grieving a loss may not be able to respond to a condolence message immediately, or may not feel comfortable with a conversation. 

When sending condolences via text message, it's important to remember not to keep it too short and impersonal. It's worth taking the time to write something sincere and appropriate to the situation. You can mention the deceased person, what a wonderful person they were, and how much they meant to the person sending the condolences. We should also remember to offer words of support, demonstrating our willingness to help with assurances like, "I'm here if you need me," "If you want to talk, let me know when I can call."  

So remember:

- Don't write too short a text message or message.
- Be honest, express your feelings, and tailor the text message to the situation.
- Be understanding of the person experiencing the loss.
- Show support and ask if they need anything. 
- Alternatively, suggest a phone call or a meeting.

However, text messages aren't appropriate in every situation, especially for older people. If you feel that this way of expressing condolences won't be sufficient or the recipient won't like it, consider calling or sending a condolence card, for example, along with a bouquet of sympathy flowers .