colgar los tenis

A colorful, informal Mexican and Central American idiom for "to die," literally "to hang up the sneakers" — the Spanish-language equivalent in spirit to English's "kick the bucket." It's used to soften or joke about death, never in formal or solemn contexts.

• El abuelo de mi amigo colgó los tenis el año pasado. — My friend's grandfather kicked the bucket last year.
• Si sigues comiendo así, vas a colgar los tenis antes de tiempo. — If you keep eating like that, you're going to kick the bucket early.
• Dicen que el bandido colgó los tenis en un tiroteo. — They say the outlaw bought the farm in a shootout.

This is casual, regional slang — using it about someone's recent death in front of grieving family would come across as flippant; morir or fallecer are the respectful, neutral choices.

Often confused with morir.