Meaning and behavior
What does caer mean?
Caer means to fall (to move to a lower position due to gravity). VerbyGo classifies it as an irregular -ER verb. It is non-reflexive.
to fall (to come down, to drop, to descend); to fall down, to collapse (to fall to the ground).
Build from reliable parts
Principal forms
- Infinitive
- caer
- Gerund
- cayendo
- Past participle
- caído
Verified irregular pattern
How this verb behaves
Its forms differ from a fully regular -er pattern in the present, preterite.
Its past participle, caído, is irregular.
Conjugation guide
Present forms
Present forms
Present
Use the present forms of caer for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | caigo |
| tú | caes |
| él / ella / usted | cae |
| nosotros / nosotras | caemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | caéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | caen |
Present forms
Present progressive
Use present estar with cayendo for an action in progress now.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | estoy cayendo |
| tú | estás cayendo |
| él / ella / usted | está cayendo |
| nosotros / nosotras | estamos cayendo |
| vosotros / vosotras | estáis cayendo |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | están cayendo |
Present forms
Present perfect continuous
Use present haber, estado and cayendo to emphasize an activity continuing into the present.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | he estado cayendo |
| tú | has estado cayendo |
| él / ella / usted | ha estado cayendo |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos estado cayendo |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis estado cayendo |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han estado cayendo |
Conjugation guide
Past forms
Past forms
Preterite
Use the preterite when the action of caer is presented as completed in the past.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | caí |
| tú | caíste |
| él / ella / usted | cayó |
| nosotros / nosotras | caímos |
| vosotros / vosotras | caísteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | cayeron |
Past forms
Imperfect past
Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of caer, or for background information.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | caía |
| tú | caías |
| él / ella / usted | caía |
| nosotros / nosotras | caíamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | caíais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | caían |
Conjugation guide
Future and conditional
Future and conditional
Simple future
Use the future forms of caer for predictions, promises and future statements.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | caeré |
| tú | caerás |
| él / ella / usted | caerá |
| nosotros / nosotras | caeremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | caeréis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | caerán |
Conjugation guide
Subjunctive forms
Subjunctive forms
Present subjunctive
Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | caiga |
| tú | caigas |
| él / ella / usted | caiga |
| nosotros / nosotras | caigamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | caigáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | caigan |
Subjunctive forms
Imperfect subjunctive
Use these forms for past subjunctive contexts and hypothetical structures; the equivalent -se series is also accepted where supplied.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| yo | cayeraAlso accepted: cayese |
| tú | cayerasAlso accepted: cayeses |
| él / ella / usted | cayeraAlso accepted: cayese |
| nosotros / nosotras | cayéramosAlso accepted: cayésemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | cayeraisAlso accepted: cayeseis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | cayeranAlso accepted: cayesen |
Conjugation guide
Commands
Commands
Affirmative commands
Choose the affirmative command of caer that matches the person being addressed.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| tú | cae |
| usted | caiga |
| nosotros / nosotras | caigamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | caed |
| ustedes | caigan |
Commands
Negative commands
Use no with the matching command form of caer.
| Subject | Caer |
|---|---|
| tú | no caigas |
| usted | no caiga |
| nosotros / nosotras | no caigamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | no caigáis |
| ustedes | no caigan |
Verified context
Examples with caer
Me caí en un hoyo.
I fell into a hole.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRSe te cayó el lápiz.
You dropped your pencil.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRA todos les caigo mal.
Everyone hates me.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Quick answers
Caer FAQ
What does caer mean?
Caer means to fall (to move to a lower position due to gravity).
Is caer regular or irregular?
Caer is a irregular -ER verb.
What is the gerund of caer?
The gerund of caer is cayendo.
What is the past participle of caer?
The past participle of caer is caído.
How is caer conjugated in the present?
The verified public subject set is caigo, caes, cae, caemos, caen.
How is caer conjugated in the preterite?
The verified public subject set is caí, caíste, cayó, caímos, cayeron.
Created by Alejandro Ruiz, an experienced Spanish tutor.