When you're learning Dutch, you'll find that vallen is a very common and useful verb. It primarily means 'to fall' or 'to drop'. You might use it to describe someone falling over, or something falling from a table.
However, it's good to know that vallen can also be used in more figurative ways, like 'to fall in love' (verliefd vallen) or 'to fall silent' (stilvallen). So, while the core meaning is straightforward, be aware of these common expressions.
It's an irregular verb, so remember its past tense form: viel (fell). For example, 'Ik viel van mijn fiets' means 'I fell off my bike'.
When using the verb "vallen" (to fall), it's important to pay attention to the prepositions that often accompany it, as these can change the nuance of the meaning. For example, "vallen op" means to fall onto something, while "vallen in" means to fall into something. The past tense of "vallen" is "viel" and the past participle is "gevallen," which you'll use with "zijn" as the auxiliary verb for compound tenses. Keep in mind that "vallen" can also be used figuratively, such as "in slaap vallen" (to fall asleep) or "opvallen" (to stand out, literally 'to fall upon').
vallen in 30 Sekunden
- Common verb for 'to fall'
- Used for people, objects, and even abstract concepts like prices.
- Irregular verb in Dutch (viel, gevallen).
§ 1. Using 'Vallen' for 'To Fail' an Exam
A very common mistake English speakers make is using 'vallen' when they want to say 'to fail' an exam or a test. In English, you 'fail' an exam. In Dutch, you do not 'vallen' for an exam. This is a direct translation error and will sound very strange to a native Dutch speaker.
- DEFINITION
- To not pass an exam or test.
Instead of 'vallen', you should use the verb 'zakken' when talking about failing an exam. 'Zakken' literally means 'to sink' or 'to drop', and in the context of exams, it means to fail.
Ik ben gezakt voor mijn rijexamen. (I failed my driving test.)
Ze zakken vaak voor wiskunde. (They often fail math.)
§ 2. Confusing 'Vallen' with 'Neervallen'
While 'vallen' simply means 'to fall', some learners get confused with 'neervallen'. 'Neervallen' also means 'to fall', but it often implies a more sudden or complete fall, or falling to the ground specifically. It's a compound verb where 'neer' means 'down'.
- Vallen: General act of falling.
- Neervallen: Falling down, often with more emphasis on the 'downward' motion and impact.
De bladeren vallen van de boom. (The leaves fall from the tree.)
Hij struikelde en viel neer. (He stumbled and fell down.)
While sometimes interchangeable, 'neervallen' emphasizes the downward motion more explicitly. If you're just describing something falling generally, 'vallen' is perfectly fine and often more common.
§ 3. Incorrect Auxiliary Verb with 'Vallen'
This is a crucial point for all verbs of movement in Dutch, including 'vallen'. Many learners automatically use 'hebben' (to have) as the auxiliary verb for the perfect tense, but 'vallen' requires 'zijn' (to be).
- DEFINITION
- The verb used with a main verb to form compound tenses.
'Vallen' is a verb of movement that indicates a change of state or position. For such verbs, Dutch uses 'zijn' in the perfect tense. If you use 'hebben', it will be grammatically incorrect.
Ik ben gevallen. (I have fallen / I fell.) - CORRECT
De vaas is gevallen. (The vase has fallen / fell.) - CORRECT
Do not say 'Ik heb gevallen' or 'De vaas heeft gevallen'. This is a very common and noticeable error. Always double-check verbs of movement (like 'gaan', 'komen', 'lopen', 'rijden', 'vallen') for their auxiliary verb in the perfect tense.
§ 4. Misusing 'Laten Vallen' for 'To Drop'
In English, you can say 'I dropped the pen'. It's easy to try and translate this directly into 'Ik liet de pen vallen' in Dutch. While 'laten vallen' literally means 'to let fall', it's the correct way to express 'to drop' something intentionally or accidentally.
- DEFINITION
- To cause something to fall; to release something so it descends.
The mistake isn't necessarily in using 'laten vallen', but in not realizing it's the common and natural way to say 'to drop'. Some learners might try to find a single verb for 'to drop' and struggle when 'laten vallen' is the idiomatic solution.
Ik liet mijn telefoon vallen. (I dropped my phone.)
Kun je die sleutels niet laten vallen? (Can you not drop those keys?)
§ 5. Not understanding idiomatic uses of 'Vallen'
Like many verbs, 'vallen' is part of several Dutch idioms and expressions that don't directly translate. Not knowing these can lead to confusion or misinterpretation.
- Ergens op vallen: To be attracted to something/someone.
Ik val echt op haar humor. (I really like her humor.)
- Vallen in slaap: To fall asleep. This is more of a literal translation that works, but it's important to know.
Hij viel in slaap op de bank. (He fell asleep on the couch.)
- Dat valt mee/tegen: That's not too bad / That's disappointing. These are very common expressions.
De schade valt mee. (The damage isn't too bad.)
Het resultaat valt tegen. (The result is disappointing.)
Understanding these common phrases will greatly improve your fluency and comprehension. Don't try to translate them word for word; learn them as fixed expressions.
§ Understanding 'vallen' in Dutch
The Dutch verb 'vallen' is super common and means 'to fall'. It's pretty straightforward, but like many verbs, it has some nuances and can be used in various contexts. For English speakers, it usually translates directly to 'fall', 'drop', or sometimes 'to go down'.
§ Basic Meaning: To move downward
- DEFINITION
- To move downward from a higher position due to gravity or loss of support.
This is the most common use of 'vallen'. Think of an apple falling from a tree or a person falling down. It implies an uncontrolled descent.
De bladeren vallen van de boom.
Translation hint: The leaves fall from the tree.
Ik ben gisteren gevallen op straat.
Translation hint: I fell on the street yesterday.
§ 'Vallen' with Prepositions
Like many Dutch verbs, 'vallen' frequently teams up with prepositions to form new meanings. This is where it gets interesting and sometimes a bit tricky for learners.
- Vallen op/in: To fall on/into. This is pretty direct.
De regen valt op het dak.
Translation hint: The rain falls on the roof.
Ze valt in slaap.
Translation hint: She falls asleep.
- Vallen uit: To fall out of.
Zijn haar valt uit.
Translation hint: His hair is falling out.
- Vallen mee/tegen: This is an idiomatic use. 'Meeprikken' means something turns out better than expected, while 'tegenvallen' means it's worse than expected. This is very common.
Het examen viel mee.
Translation hint: The exam wasn't as bad as I thought. (Lit. The exam fell along.)
De vakantie viel tegen.
Translation hint: The holiday was disappointing. (Lit. The holiday fell against.)
§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives
While 'vallen' covers a lot of ground, there are other Dutch words that convey similar ideas but with slightly different nuances. Knowing these will help you sound more natural.
- Dalden: To descend, to drop (often gradually).
'Dalden' often implies a more controlled or gradual descent, or a decline in value or amount, whereas 'vallen' is usually sudden and uncontrolled. Think of temperatures dropping ('de temperatuur daalt') versus a vase falling ('de vaas valt').
De prijzen dalen.
Translation hint: The prices are falling/decreasing.
- Zinken: To sink.
'Zinken' is specifically used when something goes down into water or another liquid, or when a structure collapses. It has a more specific context than 'vallen'.
Het schip is gezonken.
Translation hint: The ship has sunk.
- Laten vallen: To drop (transitive).
If you *intentionally* or *accidentally cause something* to fall, you use 'laten vallen'. This is the causative form. 'Vallen' is intransitive (it happens to itself), while 'laten vallen' is transitive (someone causes it).
Ik heb mijn telefoon laten vallen.
Translation hint: I dropped my phone.
When in doubt, 'vallen' is a good default for any uncontrolled downward movement. However, as your Dutch improves, try to incorporate 'dalden' for gradual descents and 'zinken' for things going into water. Using 'laten vallen' correctly will also make your Dutch sound much more natural.
Beispiele nach Niveau
Ik laat de bal vallen.
I let the ball...
De bladeren vallen van de bomen in de herfst.
The leaves... from the trees in autumn.
Pas op dat je niet valt op het ijs.
Be careful that you don't... on the ice.
Ze liet haar sleutels vallen en moest ze zoeken.
She let her keys... and had to look for them.
De prijzen zullen vallen na de feestdagen.
The prices will... after the holidays.
Hij viel in slaap tijdens de lange vergadering.
He... asleep during the long meeting.
Here 'vallen' is part of a fixed expression 'in slaap vallen' meaning 'to fall asleep'.
De regen valt zachtjes op het dak.
The rain... gently on the roof.
Wat valt er te lachen?
What is there to laugh...?
This is an idiomatic expression meaning 'What's so funny?'
De bladeren vallen van de bomen in de herfst.
The leaves fall from the trees in autumn.
Present tense, 'vallen van' means 'fall from'.
Hij viel van zijn fiets en brak zijn arm.
He fell off his bike and broke his arm.
Past tense ('viel' is the past tense of 'vallen').
Pas op, anders val je! De grond is glad.
Watch out, otherwise you'll fall! The ground is slippery.
Future tense implied with 'anders val je'.
Ze liet haar telefoon vallen en het scherm barstte.
She dropped her phone and the screen cracked.
'Laten vallen' means 'to drop' (literally 'to let fall').
De sneeuw viel de hele nacht door, dus alles is wit.
The snow fell all night, so everything is white.
Past tense, 'viel door' means 'fell through/continued to fall'.
Ik voel me niet lekker, ik ben bang dat ik flauwval.
I don't feel well, I'm afraid I'll faint.
'Flauwvallen' is a separable verb meaning 'to faint'.
De bal viel precies in het doel, wat een geluk!
The ball fell exactly into the goal, what luck!
Past tense, 'vallen in' means 'fall into'.
Door de harde wind vallen er soms takken van de bomen.
Because of the strong wind, sometimes branches fall from the trees.
Present tense, 'vallen van' means 'fall from'.
De bladeren vallen van de bomen in de herfst, wat een prachtig gezicht is.
The leaves fall from the trees in autumn, which is a beautiful sight.
Here 'vallen' is used in the present tense to describe a recurring event.
Hij liet zijn sleutels vallen en moest ze oprapen van de grond.
He dropped his keys (let them fall) and had to pick them up from the ground.
'Laten vallen' is a common construction meaning 'to drop'.
Pas op, anders zul je over die drempel vallen!
Be careful, otherwise you will trip/fall over that threshold!
'Zullen vallen' indicates a future action or warning.
Ze is uitgegleden en gevallen op het natte trottoir.
She slipped and fell on the wet pavement.
'Gevallen' is the past participle of 'vallen', used with 'zijn' in the perfect tense.
De regen is de hele nacht gevallen, dus de straten zijn erg nat.
The rain has fallen all night, so the streets are very wet.
Again, 'gevallen' in the perfect tense with 'zijn', referring to rain.
Als je niet oplet, zal je beker vallen en breken.
If you're not careful, your cup will fall and break.
Similar to example 3, 'zal vallen' as a future consequence.
De prijzen zijn de afgelopen maand aanzienlijk gevallen.
Prices have fallen significantly over the past month.
Here, 'vallen' is used metaphorically for a decrease in value or amount.
Het was zo donker dat hij bijna in de sloot viel.
It was so dark that he almost fell into the ditch.
'Viel' is the past tense (imperfect) of 'vallen'.
Häufige Kollokationen
Häufige Phrasen
Ik liet mijn telefoon vallen.
I dropped my phone. (Ik liet mijn telefoon [to fall])
De bladeren vallen van de bomen.
The leaves are falling from the trees. (De bladeren [to fall] van de bomen.)
Hij viel over een steen.
He tripped over a stone. (Hij [to fall] over een steen.)
Zij viel in slaap op de bank.
She fell asleep on the couch. (Zij [to fall] in slaap op de bank.)
Het pakketje viel uit de auto.
The package fell out of the car. (Het pakketje [to fall] uit de auto.)
Laat de bal niet vallen!
Don't drop the ball! (Laat de bal niet [to fall]!)
Ik zag hem vallen.
I saw him fall. (Ik zag hem [to fall].)
De regen valt uit de lucht.
The rain is falling from the sky. (De regen [to fall] uit de lucht.)
Alles viel op zijn plaats.
Everything fell into place. (Alles [to fall] op zijn plaats.)
Deze taak valt onder mijn verantwoordelijkheid.
This task falls under my responsibility. (Deze taak [to fall] onder mijn verantwoordelijkheid.)
So verwendest du es
When something or someone 'valt,' it means they are moving down due to gravity. It can be used for people, objects, or even abstract concepts like prices.
Examples:
- 'Ik val van de trap.' (I fall from the stairs.)
- 'De appel valt van de boom.' (The apple falls from the tree.)
- 'De prijzen vallen.' (The prices are falling.)
A common mistake is confusing 'vallen' (to fall) with 'gevallen zijn' (to have fallen/be fallen). While 'vallen' is the infinitive, 'gevallen zijn' is the perfect tense, indicating a completed action.
Example:
- Incorrect: 'Ik ben vallen.'
- Correct: 'Ik ben gevallen.' (I have fallen / I fell.)
Tipps
Basic Meaning of 'Vallen'
The most common meaning of vallen is 'to fall'. Think of something dropping or someone losing their balance and falling down.
Present Tense Conjugation
Like many Dutch verbs, vallen has regular conjugation in the present tense. For example: ik val (I fall), jij valt (you fall), hij/zij valt (he/she falls), wij vallen (we fall).
Past Tense (Simple Past)
The simple past of vallen is 'viel'. Example: Ik viel van mijn fiets. (I fell off my bike.)
Perfect Tense (with 'zijn')
When using the perfect tense, vallen always takes 'zijn' (to be) as its auxiliary verb, not 'hebben' (to have). The past participle is 'gevallen'. Example: Ik ben gevallen. (I have fallen / I fell.)
Common Phrase: 'In slaap vallen'
A very common phrase is in slaap vallen, which means 'to fall asleep'. Example: Ik ben in slaap gevallen. (I fell asleep.)
Common Phrase: 'Laten vallen'
The phrase laten vallen means 'to drop something'. It's causative. Example: Ik liet mijn telefoon vallen. (I dropped my phone.)
Figurative Use: 'Tegen iets vallen'
Sometimes vallen can mean 'to bump into' or 'to lean against' something, especially when losing balance. Example: Ze viel tegen de muur. (She fell against the wall / She bumped into the wall.)
Figurative Use: 'Vallen voor iemand'
Figuratively, vallen voor iemand means 'to fall for someone' (to fall in love). Example: Hij is gevallen voor haar charmes. (He fell for her charms.)
Figurative Use: 'Onder iets vallen'
Another figurative use is onder iets vallen, meaning 'to fall under' or 'to be covered by' a category or rule. Example: Dit valt onder de nieuwe regeling. (This falls under the new regulation.)
Distinguish from 'Staan'
Don't confuse vallen (to fall) with 'staan' (to stand) or 'liggen' (to lie), which describe a state of being, not a movement. Vallen always implies movement downwards.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenVallen primarily means 'to fall' or 'to drop.' It describes movement downwards from a higher position due to gravity or loss of balance.
Yes, it can! In Dutch, 'verliefd worden op' is more common for 'to fall in love with someone,' but 'vallen voor iemand' is also used, meaning 'to fall for someone.'
You can use it simply: 'Ik val.' (I fall.) Or 'De appel valt uit de boom.' (The apple falls from the tree.)
Yes, it has several! It can mean 'to be located,' 'to happen,' 'to go,' or 'to be included.' For example, 'De stad valt onder die provincie.' (The city falls under that province.)
Vallen means something falls on its own. Laten vallen means to make something fall, like 'to drop something.' 'Ik laat mijn pen vallen.' (I drop my pen.)
It's an irregular verb. The past tense is 'viel' (fell) and the past participle is 'gevallen' (fallen).
You can use 'ziek worden' (to become sick) or 'neerploffen' (to fall down, often implies illness or exhaustion).
Yes, absolutely! 'Het gebouw is gevallen.' (The building has fallen/collapsed.) Or 'Het huis valt ineen.' (The house is falling apart/collapsing.)
Yes! 'Met de deur in huis vallen' (to drop in unexpectedly / to get straight to the point), 'vallen en opstaan' (trial and error / ups and downs).
When something falls onto another surface, you often use 'op' (on/onto). For example, 'De bal valt op de grond.' (The ball falls on the ground.)
Teste dich selbst 30 Fragen
Welk woord betekent 'to fall'?
'Vallen' betekent 'to fall' in het Nederlands.
De appel _______ van de boom.
De appel 'valt' (falls) van de boom. Dit is de juiste vorm van het werkwoord 'vallen'.
Ik zie de bladeren _______ in de herfst.
De bladeren 'vallen' (fall) in de herfst. Dit is de infinitiefvorm van het werkwoord.
Het werkwoord 'vallen' betekent 'to stand'.
'Vallen' betekent 'to fall', niet 'to stand'.
Als je struikelt, kun je 'vallen'.
Struikelen kan leiden tot 'vallen' (falling).
Een vogel kan 'vallen' als hij niet meer kan vliegen.
Als een vogel stopt met vliegen, zal hij 'vallen' (fall).
This sentence translates to 'I don't want to fall.' The correct order is subject, modal verb, negation, infinitive verb.
This sentence means 'The leaves are falling from the tree.' The order is definite article, subject, verb, prepositional phrase.
This sentence translates to 'He will not fall if he is careful.' The main clause comes first, followed by the conditional clause.
What happened to the person yesterday?
What do leaves do in autumn?
What could happen if you are not careful on a slippery path?
Read this aloud:
Zij is van haar fiets gevallen, maar gelukkig heeft ze alleen haar knie geschraapt.
Focus: gevallen, geschraapt
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
De regen valt al de hele dag, dus neem je paraplu mee.
Focus: valt, paraplu
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Hij heeft zich bezeerd toen hij van de ladder viel.
Focus: bezeerd, viel
Du hast gesagt:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence describes seeing leaves falling from a tree, using 'vallen' in its infinitive form.
This sentence is a warning not to fall on the slippery ice, using 'valt' (present tense of vallen).
This sentence indicates that children often drop their toys, using 'laten vallen' (to let fall/drop).
Welke van de volgende zinnen gebruikt 'vallen' in een figuurlijke betekenis?
De uitdrukking 'de appel valt niet ver van de boom' betekent dat kinderen vaak eigenschappen van hun ouders hebben, wat een figuurlijke betekenis is van 'vallen'.
In welke context zou 'vallen' worden gebruikt om plotselinge neergang of mislukking aan te duiden?
'Vallen' kan gebruikt worden om een plotselinge daling in waarde of status aan te geven, zoals bij aandelenprijzen.
Welke van deze zinnen beschrijft een onbedoelde actie met 'vallen'?
'Laten vallen' impliceert een onbedoelde actie, waarbij iets uit je handen glipt. De andere opties beschrijven natuurlijke processen of een fout tijdens een actie.
De zin 'De moed zakte hem in de schoenen' is een idiomatische uitdrukking die vergelijkbaar is met een figuurlijke betekenis van 'vallen'.
Beide uitdrukkingen beschrijven een daling, zij het in figuurlijke zin. 'De moed zakte hem in de schoenen' betekent dat iemand ontmoedigd raakt, wat overeenkomt met een figuurlijke 'val' in gemoedstoestand.
Als iemand 'valt voor de charmes' van een ander, betekent dit dat die persoon letterlijk struikelt in hun aanwezigheid.
'Vallen voor de charmes' is een figuurlijke uitdrukking en betekent dat iemand verliefd wordt of onder de indruk raakt van iemands aantrekkelijkheid, niet dat ze fysiek vallen.
De uitdrukking 'Dat valt nog te bezien' betekent dat iets zeker zal gebeuren.
'Dat valt nog te bezien' betekent juist dat iets nog onzeker is en afgewacht moet worden, het tegenovergestelde van zekerheid.
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Vallen is a fundamental verb in Dutch for expressing the act of falling, both literally and figuratively.
- Common verb for 'to fall'
- Used for people, objects, and even abstract concepts like prices.
- Irregular verb in Dutch (viel, gevallen).
Basic Meaning of 'Vallen'
The most common meaning of vallen is 'to fall'. Think of something dropping or someone losing their balance and falling down.
Present Tense Conjugation
Like many Dutch verbs, vallen has regular conjugation in the present tense. For example: ik val (I fall), jij valt (you fall), hij/zij valt (he/she falls), wij vallen (we fall).
Past Tense (Simple Past)
The simple past of vallen is 'viel'. Example: Ik viel van mijn fiets. (I fell off my bike.)
Perfect Tense (with 'zijn')
When using the perfect tense, vallen always takes 'zijn' (to be) as its auxiliary verb, not 'hebben' (to have). The past participle is 'gevallen'. Example: Ik ben gevallen. (I have fallen / I fell.)
Verwandte Inhalte
Verwandte Redewendungen
Mehr daily_life Wörter
aandoen
B2To put on clothing or affect someone emotionally
aanpassen
B1To adjust or adapt to a situation.
aanreiken
B1To offer or hand over.
aanschaffen
B1To buy something
aanstaan
B1To be turned on or to please someone.
aanwezig
B1Present at a certain place.
aardig
A2kind or nice
achteraf
B2Afterwards or in retrospect
activiteit
B1A thing that you do for enjoyment or purpose
adres
A1Details of where someone lives.
