1.
to fall, to drop
For something to move downward due to gravity. The intransitive form—the object falls by itself.
葉っぱが木から落ちた。
The leaves fell from the tree.
から marks the origin point of falling
日が落ちる前に家に帰りたいと思っているから、もう行こう。
I want to get home before the sun sets, so let's go now.
日が落ちる = the sun sets
階段から落ちて足を怪我してしまったので、今日は学校を休むことにした。
I fell down the stairs and hurt my leg, so I decided to stay home from school today.
財布が落ちていますよ。
Your wallet has fallen (is on the ground).
雨が落ちてきた。
Rain started to fall.
2.
to fail (an exam)
To not pass an examination or test.
会社に落ちてしまった。
I didn't get the job.
に marks what you failed to get into; 落ちる = fail (selection/application)
試験に落ちたらどうしよう。
What should I do if I fail the exam?
大学に落ちてしまった。
I failed to get into the university.
面接で落ちた理由がわからない。
I don't know why I failed the interview.
運転免許の試験に三回落ちた。
I failed the driver's license test three times.
3.
to come off, to be removed
For stains, dirt, or attachments to come off or be removed from a surface.
洗っても汚れが落ちなくて困った。
The dirt wouldn't come off even after washing, so I was stuck.
汚れが落ちる = dirt comes off
このシミはなかなか落ちない。
This stain won't come off easily.
化粧が落ちてしまった。
My makeup came off.
油汚れはお湯で落ちやすい。
Oil stains come off easily with hot water.
ボタンが落ちそうだ。
The button looks like it's about to fall off.
TRANSITIVITY: 自動詞 (intransitive). Pair: 落とす (transitive, to drop something). Pattern: Xが落ちる (X falls).
ASPECT: ている indicates resulting state. 落ちている = 'has fallen' (is lying on the ground) or 'is off' (for stains).
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 木から落ちる (fall from a tree)
- 床に落ちる (fall onto the floor)
- 試験に落ちる (fail an exam)
- 汚れが落ちる (dirt comes off)
- 雷が落ちる (lightning strikes—lit. 'falls')
- 日が落ちる (the sun sets)
NOTE ON KANJI: The vocabulary list shows 落る but the standard form is 落ちる with the ち included.
IDIOMS:
- 落ち着く (to calm down—compound verb)
- 気が落ちる (to feel down)
REGISTER: Neutral.
Related Words
See also:
落とす