Offering formal sympathy and acknowledging sorrow felt by others.

To convey genuine compassion and respect to the bereaved person(s) during a time of mourning.

Death of a close family member (e.g., parent, spouse), funeral services, anniversaries of passing.

Formal written correspondence (letters, emails), professional settings (business letters, corporate communications), social gatherings where decorum demands respectful language.

My condolences

My condolences

Can be followed by ‘to you and your family’ or similar personalization.

• deepest
• sincere
• heartfelt
• to you and your family

• I’m sorry for your loss
• Sympathies
• Thinking of you (less formal).

Using the expression in contexts that are not serious losses—e.g., minor setbacks like a broken phone rather than significant life events.

So sorry to hear, Our thoughts go out to you (more informal), I extend my deepest sympathies (formal but more emphatic).

Do not confuse ‘condolences’ with its singular form ‘condolence’; it is always plural when used as an idiomatic phrase.

• Funeral sympathy: Deepest sympathies
• Our thoughts are with you
• May he rest in peace

The phrasing carries respectful restraint appropriate for formal or professional communication and signals genuine empathy without over‑personalizing personal grief.

Satisfies cultural/social expectations of expressing sorrow while maintaining a tone that aligns with the seriousness of death-related news.

heard about loss

This expression is often used in formal or professional settings to convey sympathy and respect.

I'm sorry → My condolences → Please accept my sincere condolences