Grammar fix
kick the bucket
die jokingly
To die, said in a humorous or disrespectful way.
How oftenNow and then
LevelC1
Used inMostly spoken
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
My grandfather joked that he would kick the bucket before he turned eighty.
My grandad's quite funny about getting old. He always says he's going to spend all his savings on holidays before he kicks the bucket.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: He kicked his bucket last year.
Say: He kicked the bucket last year.
The idiom uses the fixed phrase 'the bucket', not 'his bucket'.
Don't confuse it
Other ways to say it
Say that someone has died
How formalSlangRespectful
kick the bucketYou're here · Joking or irreverent; inappropriate when offering sympathy.
pass onA gentle expression for death, sometimes with spiritual overtones.pass awayA respectful, gentle expression when discussing someone's death.