caer

See also: Caer

English

Etymology

From Welsh caer.

Noun

caer (plural caers)

1. A Welsh fortress.
   • 1892, Grant Allen, Science in Arcady, page 295:

     […] a good many relics of the old Welsh Caers still bespeak the incompleteness of the early Teutonic conquest.

Alternative forms

• cair

Anagrams

• e-car, CERA, acer, care, race-, Acre, -care, acre, Cera, Care, Crea, race, Race

Asturian

Verb

caer

1. Alternative form of cayer

Galician

Alternative forms

• caír
• cair (reintegrationist)

Etymology

Inherited from Old Galician-Portuguese caer, from Late Latin cadēre, from Latin cadĕre. Compare Portuguese cair, Spanish caer, French choir.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaˈeɾ/ [kɑˈeɾ]
• Rhymes: -eɾ
• Hyphenation: ca‧er

Verb

caer (first-person singular present caio, first-person singular preterite caín, past participle caído)

1. (intransitive) to fall, fall off, fall down
2. (of a time) to fall on; to occur
3. to fall; to decline; to collapse
4. to fall; to die in battle

Conjugation

    Conjugation of caer (irregular)

	Singular			Plural
	First-person (eu)	Second-person (ti)	Third-person (el / ela / Vde.)	First-person (nós)	Second-person (vós)	Third-person (eles / elas / Vdes.)
Infinitive
Impersonal	caer
Personal	caer	caeres	caer	caermos	caerdes	caeren
Gerund
	caendo
Past participle
Masculine	caído			caídos
Feminine	caída			caídas
Indicative
Present	caio	caes	cae	caemos	caedes	caen
Imperfect	caía	caías	caía	caïamos	caïades	caían
Preterite	caín	caíches	caeu	caemos	caestes	caeron
Pluperfect	caera	caeras	caera	caeramos	caerades	caeran
Future	caerei	caerás	caerá	caeremos	caeredes	caerán
Conditional	caería	caerías	caería	caeriamos	caeriades	caerían
Subjunctive
Present	caia	caias	caia	caiamos	caiades	caian
Imperfect	caese	caeses	caese	caésemos	caésedes	caesen
Future	caer	caeres	caer	caermos	caerdes	caeren
Imperative
Affirmative		cae	caia	caiamos	caede	caian
Negative (non)		non caias	non caia	non caiamos	non caiades	non caian

Derived terms

• caer auga a caldeiros
• caer ben
• caer chuzos de punta
• caer de cu
• caer de fuciños

 

Related terms

• acaer
• esquecer

 

References

• Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, Ana Isabel Boullón Agrelo (2006–2022) “caer”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Xavier Varela Barreiro, Xavier Gómez Guinovart (2006–2018) “caer”, in Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: ILG
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, editor (2006–2013), “caer”, in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega [Dictionary of Dictionaries of the Galician language] (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Antón Luís Santamarina Fernández, Ernesto Xosé González Seoane, María Álvarez de la Granja, editors (2003–2018), “caer”, in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega
• Rosario Álvarez Blanco, editor (2014–2024), “caer”, in Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués (in Galician), Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega, →ISSN

Spanish

Etymology

Inherited from Late Latin cadēre, from Latin cadĕre. Compare Portuguese cair, Galician caer, French choir.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kaˈeɾ/ [kaˈeɾ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɾ
• Syllabification: ca‧er

Verb

caer (first-person singular present caigo, first-person singular preterite caí, past participle caído)

1. (intransitive, reflexive) to fall (to move to a lower position due to gravity)
2. (intransitive) to fall (to come down, to drop, to descend)

   La lluvia cae más fuerte que antes.

   The rain is falling heavier than before.

3. (intransitive, reflexive) to fall down, to collapse (to fall to the ground)
4. (intransitive, reflexive) to fall out (to come out of something by falling)

   El pelo dañado puede caerse.

   Damaged hair can fall out.

5. (intransitive) to fall into, to fall for; to be ensnared by

   caer en la trampa ― to fall into the trap

6. (intransitive) to fall into (to enter a negative state)
7. (intransitive) to fall, to collapse (to be overthrown or defeated)

   El imperio romano cayó poco a poco.

   The Roman Empire fell little by little.

8. (intransitive) to get (to understand)

   No caigo. ― I don't get it.

9. (intransitive) to be granted or awarded

   Le cayó una multa.

   She got fined.

10. (intransitive) to fall under (to belong to for purposes of categorization)
11. (intransitive) to fall on (to occur on a particular day)

Conjugation

    Conjugation of caer (irregular) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			caer
gerund			cayendo
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		caído		caída
		plural		caídos		caídas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	caigo	caestú caésvos	cae	caemos	caéis	caen
	imperfect	caía	caías	caía	caíamos	caíais	caían
	preterite	caí	caíste	cayó	caímos	caísteis	cayeron
	future	caeré	caerás	caerá	caeremos	caeréis	caerán
	conditional	caería	caerías	caería	caeríamos	caeríais	caerían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	caiga	caigastú caigásvos2	caiga	caigamos	caigáis	caigan
	imperfect (ra)	cayera	cayeras	cayera	cayéramos	cayerais	cayeran
	imperfect (se)	cayese	cayeses	cayese	cayésemos	cayeseis	cayesen
	future1	cayere	cayeres	cayere	cayéremos	cayereis	cayeren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		caetú caévos	caiga	caigamos	caed	caigan
	negative		no caigas	no caiga	no caigamos	no caigáis	no caigan

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

    Selected combined forms of caer (irregular)

These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.

		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
with infinitive caer	dative	caerme	caerte	caerle, caerse	caernos	caeros	caerles, caerse
	accusative	caerme	caerte	caerlo, caerla, caerse	caernos	caeros	caerlos, caerlas, caerse
with gerund cayendo	dative	cayéndome	cayéndote	cayéndole, cayéndose	cayéndonos	cayéndoos	cayéndoles, cayéndose
	accusative	cayéndome	cayéndote	cayéndolo, cayéndola, cayéndose	cayéndonos	cayéndoos	cayéndolos, cayéndolas, cayéndose
with informal second-person singular tú imperative cae	dative	cáeme	cáete	cáele	cáenos	not used	cáeles
	accusative	cáeme	cáete	cáelo, cáela	cáenos	not used	cáelos, cáelas
with informal second-person singular vos imperative caé	dative	caeme	caete	caele	caenos	not used	caeles
	accusative	caeme	caete	caelo, caela	caenos	not used	caelos, caelas
with formal second-person singular imperative caiga	dative	cáigame	not used	cáigale, cáigase	cáiganos	not used	cáigales
	accusative	cáigame	not used	cáigalo, cáigala, cáigase	cáiganos	not used	cáigalos, cáigalas
with first-person plural imperative caigamos	dative	not used	caigámoste	caigámosle	caigámonos	caigámoos	caigámosles
	accusative	not used	caigámoste	caigámoslo, caigámosla	caigámonos	caigámoos	caigámoslos, caigámoslas
with informal second-person plural imperative caed	dative	caedme	not used	caedle	caednos	caeos	caedles
	accusative	caedme	not used	caedlo, caedla	caednos	caeos	caedlos, caedlas
with formal second-person plural imperative caigan	dative	cáiganme	not used	cáiganle	cáigannos	not used	cáiganles, cáiganse
	accusative	cáiganme	not used	cáiganlo, cáiganla	cáigannos	not used	cáiganlos, cáiganlas, cáiganse

    Conjugation of caerse (irregular) (See Appendix:Spanish verbs)

infinitive			caerse
gerund			cayéndose
past participle				masculine		feminine
		singular		caído		caída
		plural		caídos		caídas
		singular			plural
		1st person	2nd person	3rd person	1st person	2nd person	3rd person
personal non-finite		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	infinitive	caerme	caerte	caerse	caernos	caeros	caerse
	gerund	cayéndome	cayéndote	cayéndose	cayéndonos	cayéndoos	cayéndose
indicative		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me caigo	te caestú te caésvos	se cae	nos caemos	os caéis	se caen
	imperfect	me caía	te caías	se caía	nos caíamos	os caíais	se caían
	preterite	me caí	te caíste	se cayó	nos caímos	os caísteis	se cayeron
	future	me caeré	te caerás	se caerá	nos caeremos	os caeréis	se caerán
	conditional	me caería	te caerías	se caería	nos caeríamos	os caeríais	se caerían
subjunctive		yo	tú vos	él/ella/ello usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ellos/ellas ustedes
	present	me caiga	te caigastú te caigásvos2	se caiga	nos caigamos	os caigáis	se caigan
	imperfect (ra)	me cayera	te cayeras	se cayera	nos cayéramos	os cayerais	se cayeran
	imperfect (se)	me cayese	te cayeses	se cayese	nos cayésemos	os cayeseis	se cayesen
	future1	me cayere	te cayeres	se cayere	nos cayéremos	os cayereis	se cayeren
imperative		—	tú vos	usted	nosotros nosotras	vosotros vosotras	ustedes
	affirmative		cáetetú caetevos	cáigase	caigámonos	caeos	cáiganse
	negative		no te caigas	no se caiga	no nos caigamos	no os caigáis	no se caigan

¹Mostly obsolete, now mainly used in legal language.
²Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.

Derived terms

• caedizo
• caer a plomo
• caer bien
• caer chuzos de punta
• caer como chinches
• caer como moscas
• caer como un baldado de agua fría
• caer de indio
• caer de las nubes
• caer de pie
• caer de plano
• caer el veinte
• caer en desgracia
• caer en el anzuelo
• caer en el chiste
• caer en gracia
• caer en gusto
• caer en la cama
• caer en la celada
• caer en la cuenta
• caer en mal caso
• caer en saco roto
• caer gordo
• caer la balanza
• caer mal
• caer pesado
• caerle una buena
• caerse de culo
• caerse de morros
• caérsele el alma a los pies
• caérsele la casa encima
• caérsele los anillos
• caérsele los palos del sombrajo
• caimiento
• dejar caer
• dejarse caer
• estar al caer
• no caerá esa breva
• poner a caer de un burro

 

Related terms

• acaecer
• cadente
• caerse
• caída
• cascada
• cayente
• decaer
• escaecer
• recaer

 

Further reading

• “caer”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Anagrams

• acre, arce, cera, crea

Welsh

Pronunciation

• (North Wales) IPA^(key): /kaːɨ̯r/
• (South Wales) IPA^(key): /kai̯r/

Etymology 1

From Middle Welsh caer, from Old Welsh cair, from Proto-Brythonic *kaɨr (“fort, fortified town”).

See also Cornish ker (“fort”), Breton kêr (“town, city”). Related to cae (“field”).

Noun

caer f (plural caerau or caeroedd or ceyrydd)

1. fort, fortress, enclosed stronghold, castle, fortress, citadel, fortified town or city
2. wall, rampart, bulwark
3. twill

Derived terms

• bryngaer (“hill-fort”)
• Caer Arianrhod (“Milky Way”)
• Caer Colun (“Colchester”)
• Caer Gwydion (“Milky Way”)
• Caer Ludd (“London”)
• Caer Rhain (“Aconbury”)
• Caer (“Chester”)
• Caer-went (“Caer-went”)
• Caerdroea (“Troy”)
• Caerdydd (“Cardiff”)
• Caeredin (“Edinburgh”)
• Caerfaddon (“Bath”)
• Caerferwig (“Berwick(-upon-Tweed)”)
• Caerfuddai (“Chichester”)
• Caerfyrddin (“Carmarthen”)
• Caerffili (“Caerphilly”)
• Caergaint (“Canterbury”)
• caergawell (“gabion”)
• Caergeiliog (“Caergeiliog”)
• Caergrawnt (“Cambridge”)
• Caergwrle (“Caergwrle”)
• Caergybi (“Holyhead”)
• Caergystennin (“Constantinople”)
• Caeriw (“Carew”)
• Caerliwelydd (“Carlisle”)
• Caerloyw (“Gloucester”)
• Caerlwytgoed (“Lichfield”)
• Caerlŷr (“Leicester”)
• Caerllion (“Caerleon”)
• Caermeini (“Caermeini”)
• Caernarfon (“Carnarfon”)
• caerog (“fortified”)
• Caersalem (“Jerusalem”)
• Caersallog (“Salisbury”)
• Caersŵs (“Caersws”)
• caeru (“to fortify”)
• Caerwedros (“Caerwedron”)
• Caerwrangon (“Worcester”)
• Caerwrygion (“Wroxeter”)
• Caerwynt (“Winchester”)
• Caerwys (“Caerwys”)
• Caerwysg (“Exeter”)
• Caerhirfryn (“Lancaster”)
• Caerhun (“Caerhun”)

 

Related terms

• cae
• cau

 

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Alternative forms

• caffer

Verb

caer

1. (literary) impersonal imperative of cael

Mutation

Mutated forms of caer

radical	soft	nasal	aspirate
caer	gaer	nghaer	chaer

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

References

• R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “caer”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies