Short Condolence Messages You Can Send (Text, Email, Card)
Sometimes you do not need a guide on grief. You need the words, right now, for a text you have started and deleted three times. So here are short condolence messages you can adapt and send, grouped by who the person is to you. Use them as starting points. Swap in a name or a real detail and they become yours.
When you just need something kind and brief
I am so sorry. I am thinking of you, and there is nothing you need to say back.
My heart is with you. I am here whenever you want company, and just as okay with silence.
I do not have the right words, but I love you and I am not going anywhere.
By relationship
A close friend
I keep thinking about [name] and that laugh. I am so sorry, and I am right here. I will call this weekend, no need to pick up. I just want you to know you are not alone in this.
A coworker or someone you do not know well
I was so sorry to hear about your [relationship]. Please do not worry about anything on our end, it is handled. Take whatever time you need.
Someone who lost a parent
Losing a parent is its own kind of loss, and I am so sorry you are carrying it. Your [mom or dad] clearly raised someone good. Sending you so much love.
Someone who lost a partner or spouse
There are no words for a loss like this. I loved [name], and I am thinking of you both. I will check in, and I am here for the long haul, not just this week.
After the first message
The message itself matters less than what comes after it. The support floods in for a week or two and then disappears, right as the real grief settles. The kindest thing you can do is send another one in a month, on a birthday, on the anniversary: just thinking of you today, and of [name]. If you want more on doing this well, our guides on what to write in a sympathy card and what to say to someone who is grieving go deeper.
Common questions
- What is a short condolence message?
- Something brief and honest, like: I am so sorry for your loss. I am thinking of you. Short is good. It acknowledges the loss, offers your sympathy, and asks nothing of the grieving person. You do not need to be eloquent.
- Is it okay to send condolences by text?
- Yes. A text is far better than silence, and for many relationships it is exactly right. Keep it warm and brief, use the person's name, and make it clear they do not need to reply. A card or call can always follow.
- What should you not say in a condolence message?
- Avoid lines that ask them to feel better, like everything happens for a reason or they are in a better place. Skip I know how you feel and the open-ended let me know if you need anything. Plain acknowledgement lands better than a silver lining.