Irregular verb
The verb to fall
fall → fell → fallen
B1Meaning: to go down to the ground suddenly · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 100 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they fall·he/she/it falls - Past Simple:
fell - Past participle:
fallen(different from the Past Simple) - -ing form:
falling
Conjugation of the verb to fall
Present Simple
| I | fall |
| You | fall |
| He / She / It | falls |
| We | fall |
| You (pl.) | fall |
| They | fall |
Past Simple
| I | fell |
| You | fell |
| He / She / It | fell |
| We | fell |
| You (pl.) | fell |
| They | fell |
All the forms of the verb to fall
Present Simple
Full pagefall / falls
“Leaves fall in autumn.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are falling
“I am falling asleep right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagefell
“I fell on the ice yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were falling
“I was falling asleep when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has fallen
“I have already fallen asleep.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad fallen
“She had already fallen asleep when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill fall
“I will fall asleep tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to fall
“I'm going to fall asleep this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould fall
“I would fall asleep if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to fall
1. Falling (losing your balance)
- I fell off my bike.
- Be careful, don't fall!
2. Fall in love
Fall in love means to start to love someone.
- I fell in love with her.
- They fell in love at first sight.
3. Fall asleep
Fall asleep means to start sleeping.
- I fell asleep on the sofa.
- She falls asleep quickly.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Fall = autumn in the USA
In the USA, fall is also the season after summer. In British English, the season is autumn: Leaves fall in autumn.
2. Fixed expressions with fall
Fall in love (to start to love someone), fall asleep (to start sleeping), fall ill (to become ill). Learn them as blocks: I fell asleep on the sofa.
What's next?
You can conjugate to fall. Now say it out loud.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of fall?+
The Past Simple of fall is fell. The past participle is fallen. Fall → fell → fallen.
Is it fell in love or fallen in love?+
Both are correct, in different tenses. Past Simple: I fell in love. Present Perfect: I have fallen in love. Fall in love (to start to love someone) is a fixed expression: learn it as one block.
What is the difference between fall and drop?+
Fall = you or something goes down by itself, often because you lose your balance: I fell. Drop = you let something fall: I dropped my phone.
Is it fell or falled?+
Say fell. Fall is irregular: its Past Simple is fell and its past participle is fallen. Falled does not exist.
Does fall also mean autumn?+
Yes, in American English: fall = autumn. In British English, people say autumn. Both words are correct; fall is more common in the USA.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/fall
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.