That's interesting moka. I feel the exact opposite. I would rather someone directly acknowledged that my loved one has died rather than "passed away." I also feel very uncomfortable using the expression myself when offering my sympathies to someone in person or written in a card. I just find "passed away" distasteful. Maybe it is a religious thing? I am not religious and don't believe in life after death, so for me "died" makes more sense than "passed away" does. Maybe people who do believe in life after death reflect that with this expression?

Quote Originally Posted by moka View Post
It depends on the context. I say “I am sorry to hear your mother passed away.”
I would not say “I’m sorry to hear your mother died” to anyone. "Died" is too blunt in many situations.
Death is a very sensitive subject and any discussion if not handled with understanding can cause distress to someone else who is still grieving a loved one.