caído
/ka-EE-doh/
fallen
Caído (fallen) as a verb describes an action that is complete, like the apple that has fallen from the tree.
caído(Verb)
fallen
?as part of a perfect tense
,dropped
?as part of a perfect tense
📝 In Action
El niño se ha caído de la cama.
A1The child has fallen out of bed.
¿Alguna vez has caído en esa trampa?
A2Have you ever fallen into that trap?
💡 Grammar Points
Forming Perfect Tenses
This form (caído) is used with the verb haber to talk about actions that finished recently or in the past: 'He caído' (I have fallen).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using 'Estar' Instead of 'Haber'
Mistake: "El niño está caído de la cama."
Correction: El niño se ha caído de la cama. (Use *haber* for the action of falling; use *estar* only to describe the resulting state, which is rare.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Irregularity Alert
Although caer is irregular in many present tenses, its past participle, caído, is formed regularly by adding -ído.
As an adjective, caído (fallen) describes the state of an object, such as this fallen column.
caído(Adjective)
fallen
?describing an object or person
,dropped
?describing an object
sagging
?describing shoulders, cheeks, or features
,downcast
?describing mood or spirits
📝 In Action
Las hojas caídas cubrían todo el jardín.
A2The fallen leaves covered the whole garden.
Se levantó con el ánimo caído después de perder.
B1He got up with his spirits downcast after losing.
El muro estaba caído y necesitaba reparación urgente.
A2The wall was fallen (down) and needed urgent repair.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective Agreement
As an adjective, caído must match the thing it describes in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural): la silla caída, los árboles caídos.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the Adjective for the Action
Mistake: "La taza estaba caída por el viento. (To describe the action of falling.)"
Correction: La taza se cayó por el viento. (Use the verb form for the action, use the adjective only for the resulting state.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Describing Mood
You can use caído with the verb estar to describe someone's temporary sad mood: 'Ella está caída hoy' (She is down today).
Caído (casualty) is often used as a noun in military contexts to refer to those lost in conflict.
caído(Noun)
casualty
?military or political context
,the fallen (person)
?referring to those who died
📝 In Action
El presidente honró la memoria de los caídos en combate.
B2The president honored the memory of those fallen in combat.
Se erigió un monumento a los caídos de la revolución.
C1A monument was erected to the casualties of the revolution.
💡 Grammar Points
Adjective functioning as Noun
In this case, the adjective caído is used as a noun, usually preceded by the article el or los to mean 'the person/people who have fallen'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
Use this noun form only in serious, formal contexts when referring to death or defeat; otherwise, use the adjective form.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: caído
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'caído' as an adjective describing a state?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'caído' irregular?
The verb it comes from, *caer* (to fall), is irregular in many forms, but the past participle *caído* is formed regularly by adding -ído to the stem, just like *comido* (eaten) or *vivido* (lived).
When do I use 'caído' vs. 'caída'?
When *caído* is used as an adjective (meaning 'fallen' or 'sagging'), it must agree with the noun it describes. Use *caído* for masculine singular nouns (el árbol caído) and *caída* for feminine singular nouns (la rama caída).