caer
/kah-EHR/
to fall
Caer means 'to fall' (physical descent).
caer(verb)
to fall
?physical descent
,to drop
?accidental fall
to land
?after flying/jumping
📝 In Action
Ten cuidado, no vayas a caer por las escaleras.
A1Be careful, don't go and fall down the stairs.
El libro se me cayó de la mesa.
A2The book fell off the table (on me).
Siempre caigo enfermo en invierno.
B1I always fall ill in winter.
💡 Grammar Points
The 'G' in 'Yo'
In the present tense, the 'yo' form is irregular: 'caigo'. This is a common pattern for verbs ending in -aer, -eer, or -oír, like 'traer' (to bring).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Preterite Spelling Change
Mistake: "The third person singular/plural often incorrectly uses an 'i': *el caío*"
Correction: The correct forms are 'él cayó' and 'ellos cayeron'. The 'i' changes to a 'y' when unstressed between vowels.
⭐ Usage Tips
Accidental Drops
When something falls accidentally (like 'I dropped the plate'), Spanish uses the accidental 'se' construction: 'Se me cayó el plato'. The plate did the falling, but I was the one affected.
Caer can mean 'to like (a person)' based on their impression or personality.
caer(verb)
to like (a person)
?personality/impression
,to dislike (a person)
?used with 'mal'
to make a good impression
?when using 'bien'
📝 In Action
¿Te cae bien la nueva jefa?
A2Do you like the new boss?
Ese chico me cae muy mal, es demasiado ruidoso.
A2I really dislike that guy, he's too noisy.
Les caíste bien a mis padres anoche.
B1My parents liked you last night.
💡 Grammar Points
'Gustar'-like Structure
When meaning 'to like a person,' 'caer' works like 'gustar' (to like). The person doing the liking is expressed with an indirect pronoun (me, te, le), and 'caer' is usually only conjugated in the third person (cae or caen).
⭐ Usage Tips
Liking People vs. Things
Use 'caer bien' only for people and personalities. For liking objects, food, or activities, stick to 'gustar' or 'encantar'.
Caer is used to say that an event or holiday 'falls on' a certain date.
caer(verb)
to fall on (a date)
?calendar days
,to realize
?used idiomatically with 'en cuenta'
to fall (due)
?payments/deadlines
,to understand (informal)
?used with 'en'
📝 In Action
Este año, mi cumpleaños cae en sábado.
B1This year, my birthday falls on a Saturday.
Después de pensarlo, caí en la cuenta de mi error.
B2After thinking about it, I realized my mistake.
El segundo pago cae el 15 de marzo.
B2The second payment is due (falls) on March 15th.
💡 Grammar Points
Realizations Need 'En'
To express the moment of understanding or realization, you must use the preposition 'en': 'caer en la cuenta' (to realize) or 'caer en un error' (to make a mistake).
⭐ Usage Tips
Upcoming Dates
When talking about future dates, use the simple present tense of 'caer' ('cae') rather than the future tense, as it implies a fixed calendar event.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: caer
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'caer' in the sense of 'to like or dislike a person'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I correctly say 'I dropped my keys' using 'caer'?
You must use the structure that implies the keys fell accidentally, not that you deliberately dropped them: 'Se me cayeron las llaves.' (Literally: The keys fell themselves to me.)
Why is the 'yo' form 'caigo' and not 'cao'?
This is an ancient irregularity inherited from Latin. Many verbs that end in a vowel + 'er' (like traer, oír) add a 'g' in the present tense 'yo' form and throughout the present subjunctive. Just memorize the pattern: yo 'caigo', yo 'traigo', yo 'oigo'.