caí

kah-EEkaˈi

“caí” means “I fell” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

I fellA1Verb

physical action

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I fell (into a state)B1Verb

e.g., I fell ill, I fell asleep

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I fellAlso: I dropped

VerbA1irregular er

A simple cartoon figure is shown mid-fall, tumbling downwards after tripping over a small mound on the ground.

infinitivecaer

gerundcayendo

past Participlecaído

📝 In Action

Me tropecé con el cable y **caí** al suelo.

I tripped on the cable and I fell to the ground.

Cuando abrí la puerta, **caí** en un charco.

When I opened the door, I fell into a puddle.

Word Connections

Synonyms

desplomarse (to collapse)
derrumbarse (to fall down)

Antonyms

levantarse (to get up)

Common Collocations

Caer al suelo – To fall to the ground

I fell (into a state)Also: I was tricked, I succumbed

VerbB1irregular er

A character is sitting upright at a table but has suddenly fallen asleep, resting their head on their arms. A small crescent moon symbol floats near their head.

infinitivecaer

gerundcayendo

past Participlecaído

📝 In Action

Me sentía cansado, y sin querer, **caí** dormido en el sofá.

I felt tired, and without meaning to, I fell asleep on the sofa.

Él me dijo una mentira enorme, ¡pero no **caí**!

He told me a huge lie, but I didn't fall for it!

**Caí** en la cuenta de que había olvidado mi billetera.

I realized (literally: I fell into the account) that I had forgotten my wallet.

Word Connections

Synonyms

sucumbir (to succumb)
ser engañado (to be tricked)

Common Collocations

Caer en la trampa – To fall into the trap
Caer enfermo – To fall ill

Indicative

Present

yocaigo

túcaes

él/ella/ustedcae

nosotroscaemos

vosotroscaéis

ellos/ellas/ustedescaen

Imperfect

yocaía

túcaías

él/ella/ustedcaía

nosotroscaíamos

vosotroscaíais

ellos/ellas/ustedescaían

Preterite

yocaí

túcaíste

él/ella/ustedcayó

nosotroscaímos

vosotroscaísteis

ellos/ellas/ustedescayeron

Subjunctive

Present Subjunctive

yocaiga

túcaigas

él/ella/ustedcaiga

nosotroscaigamos

vosotroscaigáis

ellos/ellas/ustedescaigan

Imperfect Subjunctive

yocayera

túcayeras

él/ella/ustedcayera

nosotroscayéramos

vosotroscayerais

ellos/ellas/ustedescayeran

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Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "caí" in Spanish:

i dropped i fell i succumbed

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: caí

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'caí' in its figurative meaning?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family

caída(fall, drop (noun)) — Noun

caer(to fall (infinitive)) — Verb

caído(fallen (past participle/adjective)) — Adjective

🎵 Rhymes

oícreí

📚 Etymology

The word 'caer' comes directly from the Latin verb *cadere*, meaning 'to fall' or 'to sink'. The specific past tense form 'caí' developed naturally in Spanish but keeps the strong stress on the 'i' from the original Latin root.

First recorded: 10th century

Cognates (Related words)

Portuguese: cairItalian: cadere

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why does 'caí' have an accent mark?

The accent on the 'í' is necessary to break up the vowel sounds. Without it, 'ai' would be pronounced as a single syllable. The accent ensures the stress falls on the 'i' and that you pronounce the word clearly as two syllables: 'ca-í'.

Is 'caí' used for both physical and emotional falling?

Yes, absolutely! 'Caí' works for physically falling down, but it's also used for emotional states like 'caer enamorado' (to fall in love) or mental states like 'caer en la cuenta' (to realize).