Inklingo

How to Say "to drop" in Spanish

English → Spanish

caer

kah-EHRkaˈeɾ

verbA1general
Use 'caer' when something or someone falls unintentionally, like tripping or an object falling from a height.
A small, round blue cartoon character is tumbling rapidly downwards through the air against a simple background, illustrating physical descent.

Examples

Ten cuidado, no vayas a caer por las escaleras.

Be careful, don't go and fall down the stairs.

El libro se me cayó de la mesa.

The book fell off the table (on me).

Siempre caigo enfermo en invierno.

I always fall ill in winter.

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).

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.

soltar

sohl-TAHRsolˈtaɾ

verbA2general
Choose 'soltar' when you accidentally let go of something you were holding, causing it to fall or move away.
A close-up view of a person's hand opening its grip, allowing a small, colorful ball to fall downwards.

Examples

Solté el globo por accidente y voló muy alto.

I accidentally let go of the balloon and it flew very high.

El policía soltó al detenido porque no había pruebas.

The police officer released the detainee because there was no evidence.

Stem-Change Alert

In the present tense, the 'o' in the root changes to 'ue' (soltar -> suelto), except for the 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' forms.

Confusing Physical vs. Emotional Release

Mistake: “Using 'dejar' when you mean 'soltar' (physical grip).”

Correction: 'Dejar' means 'to leave' or 'to allow.' Use 'soltar' for dropping or releasing a physical object.

descender

deh-sen-DAIRdesθenˈdeɾ

verbB1general
Use 'descender' to indicate a reduction in level or intensity, such as temperature, prices, or a physical descent.
A simple thermometer showing the red liquid level dropping low, surrounded by snowflakes.

Examples

Las temperaturas van a descender esta noche.

Temperatures are going to drop tonight.

El desempleo descendió un tres por ciento.

Unemployment decreased by three percent.

El equipo descendió a segunda división.

The team was relegated to the second division.

Using 'a' with Amounts

When saying something dropped TO a certain number, use 'a'. For example: 'Descendió a cero' (It dropped to zero).

Mixing up 'descender' and 'decaer'

Mistake: “La temperatura decae.”

Correction: La temperatura desciende. Use 'descender' for numbers and measurements; 'decaer' is more for energy or spirits.

comer

koh-mehrkoˈmeɾ

verbB2colloquial
Employ 'comer' metaphorically when someone speaks so quickly or unclearly that they seem to 'swallow' or omit parts of words.
A person speaking quickly, with colorful, abstract shapes representing sounds or words being sucked back into their mouth.

Examples

Habla tan rápido que se come las palabras.

He speaks so fast that he swallows his words.

En esta región, la gente se come la 's' final.

In this region, people drop the final 's'.

Te comiste un paso importante en las instrucciones.

You skipped an important step in the instructions.

Falling vs. Releasing

The most common confusion is between 'caer' (to fall) and 'soltar' (to let go of). Remember, 'caer' implies the subject itself is falling, while 'soltar' means you are causing something else to fall by releasing your grip.

Related Translations

Learn Spanish with Inklingo

Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.