caí

/kah-EE/

I fell

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

Caí (I fell) – Used to describe the physical action of falling.

caí(Verb)

A1irregular er

I fell

physical action

Also:

I dropped

as in, accidentally dropped something (less common, but possible)

📝 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

💡 Grammar Points

The Special Accent on 'caí'

The accent mark on the 'í' is crucial! It tells you to pronounce the 'a' and 'i' as two separate sounds (kah-EE), not blended together like in English 'rain'.

Irregular 'Yo' Form

The present tense 'yo' form is irregular: 'yo caigo' (I fall), not 'yo caeo'. This 'g' sound carries over into the present subjunctive verb forms as well.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Missing the Accent

Mistake: "Escribí 'cai' sin acento."

Correction: Always use 'caí'. Without the accent, it would sound like a single syllable, which is incorrect for this past tense form.

⭐ Usage Tips

Using the Preterite Tense

Use 'caí' (Preterite) when the fall was a specific, sudden event. Use 'caía' (Imperfect) if you are describing falling as a background action or a habitual event in the past.

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.

Caí (I fell) – Used when describing falling into a state, such as falling asleep or falling ill.

caí(Verb)

B1irregular er

I fell (into a state)

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

Also:

I was tricked

I fell for it

I succumbed

I gave in to temptation

📝 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

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'Caer' Figuratively

When using 'caer' to mean 'to realize' (caer en la cuenta), it always requires the preposition 'en' and the specific noun 'cuenta'.

⭐ Usage Tips

The 'Trick' Meaning

To say 'I fell for it' (meaning you were tricked), use the reflexive form 'Caí en ella' or simply 'Caí'.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedcae

yocaigo

túcaes

ellos/ellas/ustedescaen

nosotroscaemos

vosotroscaéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcaía

yocaía

túcaías

ellos/ellas/ustedescaían

nosotroscaíamos

vosotroscaíais

preterite

él/ella/ustedcayó

yocaí

túcaíste

ellos/ellas/ustedescayeron

nosotroscaímos

vosotroscaísteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedcaiga

yocaiga

túcaigas

ellos/ellas/ustedescaigan

nosotroscaigamos

vosotroscaigáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedcayera

yocayera

túcayeras

ellos/ellas/ustedescayeran

nosotroscayéramos

vosotroscayerais

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ 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

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).