⏱️ 2 min practice • 🔥 CEFR A2

fallen

Irregular (Starkes Verb) Level A2 ⭐ #48 Most Common

English translation: to fall

Stem Pattern: fällt, fiel, ist gefallen
💡 Key Usage Note: Takes 'sein' as auxiliary because it signifies a change of position/state: 'Er ist gefallen'.
📘 Linguistic Rule: Stem vowel takes an umlaut in 2nd and 3rd person singular present: du fällst, er fällt. Preterite is 'fiel'.
⚖️ Fallen vs Gehen (Verbs of Motion with Sein)
View GEHEN →
🔊 Speed:

Präsens

Falling in real-time.

Subject Pronoun Conjugation Audio
ich falle
du fällst
er/sie/es fällt
wir fallen
ihr fallt
sie/Sie fallen
💡 Tip: Click any row's audio button to hear native pronunciation
🤖

AI Smart Tutor: 'FALLEN' Insights

Linguistic breakdowns & native shortcuts

Smart Tips
🧠 Memory Trick (Mnemonic)

Cognate with English 'fall'. Note: fell in German is 'fiel'.

⚠️ Most Common Student Mistake
✗ Don't say: Er hat auf den Boden gefallen
✓ Say instead: Er ist auf den Boden gefallen

Why: Movement/transition of state verbs like fallen strictly take 'sein' in the Perfekt.

🗣️ Essential Native Idioms with 'fallen'
Schwer fallen

= To be difficult for someone (+ Dativ)

"Deutsch fällt mir nicht schwer."

Aus allen Wolken fallen

= To be flabbergasted / completely taken by surprise

"Als ich das hörte, fiel ich aus allen Wolken."

🎴 Flashcard Practice Mode

Flip through pronouns to test active recall for 'fallen'

1 / 12
Präsens
ich

Tap anywhere to reveal conjugation ↻

Answer
falle

Tap to flip back

Keyboard shortcuts: Space to flip • ← / → arrow keys to switch

❓

Frequently Asked Questions: FALLEN

Is "fallen" a regular or irregular verb in German? ▾

"fallen" is classified as a Irregular (Starkes Verb) verb in German. Its characteristic conjugation pattern is "fällt, fiel, ist gefallen". Stem vowel takes an umlaut in 2nd and 3rd person singular present: du fällst, er fällt. Preterite is 'fiel'. Takes 'sein' as auxiliary because it signifies a change of position/state: 'Er ist gefallen'.

What does "fallen" mean in English? ▾

In English, "fallen" translates primarily to "to fall". In natural speech, it is commonly used across CEFR level A2 contexts for everyday communication.

What is the most frequent mistake learners make with "fallen"? ▾

A frequent error is saying "Er hat auf den Boden gefallen" instead of "Er ist auf den Boden gefallen". Why? Movement/transition of state verbs like fallen strictly take 'sein' in the Perfekt.

What are common idioms or expressions with "fallen"? ▾

A popular idiom is "Schwer fallen" which means "To be difficult for someone (+ Dativ)" (e.g. "Deutsch fällt mir nicht schwer.").

How can I practice and memorize "fallen" conjugations? ▾

Use Verbpedia's built-in interactive flashcards, pronounce each form using native Web Speech audio, and complete the instant mini-quiz below. You can also print a distraction-free A4 cheat sheet using the Print button above.

⚡ 1-on-1 Practice From $6/hr

Struggling with 'fallen' in real conversations?

Memorizing charts is only 20% of fluency. Speak naturally with certified native German tutors on Preply. Book your first trial lesson today with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

✓ Verified Native Speakers ✓ Flexible Schedules ✓ Cancel or Switch Anytime
Find a Native Tutor →

Quick Practice: Fill in the Blanks

Test your understanding of 'fallen' across tenses

Interactive Quiz
Question 1 ()

What is the 3rd person singular present of fallen?

Other Important German Verbs to Study

sein Irregular

to be

haben Irregular

to have

werden Irregular

to become / will (future auxiliary)

können Irregular

can / to be able to

gehen Irregular

to go / to walk

sehen Strong Verb

to see / look

wissen Irregular (Preterite-Present)

to know (facts/information)

bleiben Strong Verb

to stay / remain

geben Strong Verb

to give / there is (es gibt)

sprechen Strong Verb

to speak / talk

fahren Strong Verb

to drive / ride / travel

helfen Irregular (e -> i / Dativ)

to help (takes dative)

nehmen Irregular (e -> imm)

to take

schreiben Strong Verb (Ablaut Class 1: ei-ie-ie)

to write

laufen Strong Verb (Ablaut au-äu / ie / au)

to run / to walk / to function

bringen Mixed Verb (Gemischtes Verb)

to bring / to take to

trinken Strong Verb (Class 3 Ablaut: i-a-u)

to drink

denken Mixed Verb (Gemischtes Verb)

to think

sollen Modalverb (Modal)

should / ought to / to be supposed to

dürfen Modalverb (Modal)

may / to be allowed to / to have permission

finden Strong Verb (Ablaut i-a-u)

to find / to consider / to think of

wollen Modalverb (Modal)

to want / to intend

kommen Strong Verb (Ablaut o-a-o)

to come / to arrive / to originate from

stehen Strong Verb (Ablaut e-a-a)

to stand / to be situated / to suit

lassen Irregular (Modal-like)

to let / to allow / to leave behind

beginnen Inseparable Strong Verb

to begin / to start

schlafen Strong Verb

to sleep

brauchen Weak Regular Verb

to need / to require

glauben Regular Verb

to believe / to think

sitzen Irregular (Starkes Verb)

to sit / to be seated

tragen Irregular (Starkes Verb)

to carry / to wear

📬

Master 1 Irregular Verb Every Morning

Join 4,200+ students getting a 2-minute daily breakdown of irregular conjugation rules & memory shortcuts. 100% free, unsubscribe anytime.