caído
/kaido/from spelling rules
The English word "dropped" can be translated into Spanish as caído.
caído is used to describe something that has fallen from a higher position to a lower one. In Spanish, when an object is dropped accidentally, it is common to use the reflexive se ha caído to imply the action happened to the object, rather than focusing on the person who dropped it.
How does it change in a sentence?
caído is the past participle of the verb caer (to fall) and is used with the auxiliary verb haber to form perfect tenses. As a past participle used as an adjective or in certain constructions, caído must agree in gender with the noun it describes, changing to caída for feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/kaido/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use tirar (to throw/drop intentionally) when they mean caer (to fall/drop accidentally). caído specifically refers to the state of having fallen.
Did you know?
- Spanish speakers use caer to describe liking someone, such as me cae bien. Literally, this means the person 'falls well' upon them.
- In Spanish, the phrase caer en la cuenta is used to describe a sudden realization. It translates literally to 'falling into the account', but it functions like the English expression 'it dawned on me'.
- The word caído shares the same ancient roots as the English word 'decadence'. Both languages trace the concept back to a Latin root describing a 'falling away' from a certain state or standard.
Examples in context
- Se te ha caído el lápiz.You dropped your pencil.This example is useful for describing a situation where a pencil was dropped.Tatoeba #969426 by Munia, translation #16283 by CK
- Tienen que habérsete caído.You must've dropped them.This example shows how to express the idea that someone must have dropped something.Tatoeba #6681538 by arh, translation #6681239 by CK
- Perdone, se le ha caído el sombrero.Um, you dropped your hat.This example is useful for politely informing someone that they have dropped their hat.Tatoeba #8557852 by ManuelML, translation #7766672 by metcaslix
- Él soltó la pluma.He dropped the pen.
- Ella dejó caer el jarrón.She dropped the vase.
- Tiré el libro.I dropped the book.
- Se le soltó la pelota.He dropped the ball.
- Ella soltó el vaso.She dropped the glass.
- El niño dejó caer su juguete.The child dropped his toy.
- Ten cuidado de no dejar caer el teléfono.Be careful not to drop the phone.
- Él soltó la bomba durante la reunión.He dropped the bombshell during the meeting.
- Las llaves se le cayeron del bolsillo.The keys fell from his pocket.
- Se me cayó el plato por accidente.I accidentally dropped the plate.
- El estudiante dejó caer el lápiz al suelo.The student dropped the pencil on the floor.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are cleaning the living room.
- DanielSofía, mira, el adorno se ha caído.Sofía, look, the ornament has fallen.
- Sofía¡Qué mal! ¿Está roto el adorno?Oh no! Is the ornament broken?
- DanielNo, por suerte no se ha caído con fuerza.No, luckily it hasn't fallen hard.
- SofíaMenos mal que no se ha roto.It's a good thing it didn't break.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries caído, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
