caer

Del latín 'cadere'.

VERB (1)

[/kaˈeɾ/^es-ES]

to fall literal / to drop literal / to descend formal / to come down informal / concept sentence untranslatable (Capturing the emotional or metaphorical senses of 'caer' as in 'to fall in love' isn't directly translatable.)

Synonyms descender formal , bajar informal

Antonyms subir

To move downwards, often unintentionally or as a result of gravity; to fall, to drop, to descend, to come down. It can also be used figuratively: * To make a particular impression on someone (e.g., "caer bien/mal" - to make a good/bad impression). * To realize or understand something suddenly (e.g., "caer en cuenta" - to realize). * To succumb to an illness or misfortune (e.g., "caer enfermo" - to fall ill, "caer en desgracia" - to fall from grace). * To fail an exam or fall into a trap (e.g., "caer en el examen" - to fail an exam, "caer en la trampa" - to fall into a trap). * For celestial bodies, to set (e.g., "caer el sol" - the sun sets). **Note on untranslatable concept:** While English uses "to fall" in expressions like "to fall in love," Spanish typically uses the reflexive verb enamorarse for this specific emotional state, rather than a direct use of "caer" with "amor." This highlights a conceptual difference where Spanish has a dedicated verb for this specific emotional transition.

irregular

plural
caen

Se le cayó el libro de la mesa. — The book fell off the table.
Anoche cayó una fuerte lluvia. — A heavy rain fell last night.
Tu hermano me cae muy bien. — I really like your brother (lit. "Your brother falls very well on me").
Después de un rato, caí en cuenta de mi error. — After a while, I realized my mistake.
Cayó enfermo y tuvo que ir al médico. — He fell ill and had to go to the doctor.
El sol ya está cayendo. — The sun is already setting.
No quiero caer en el examen de conducir. — I don't want to fail the driving test.
Cayó en la trampa sin darse cuenta. — He fell into the trap without realizing it.