French Conversation · Level 7
87 words
French word
tomber
Pronunciation
IPA/tɔ̃be/
Meaning
- verbfall
Example
Il est tombé.
He fell.
More examples
Le vase est tombé de la table.
The vase fell from the table.
Core concept
Something shifts from a higher or stable position to a lower one, including a person, falling rain, or a worsening situation.
Common phrases
tomber malade
fall ill
tomber amoureux
fall in love
tomber en panne
break down
Similar words
glisser: To slide out of position on a slippery surface.
faire tomber: To cause an object to fall by acting on it.
tomber sur: To come across someone or something unexpectedly.
chuter: To fall abruptly from a higher position.
Definition in French
Perdre l'équilibre ou la position et aller vers le bas ; employé pour la chute physique, pour des précipitations et au sens figuré pour un changement d'état.
Word origin
The French verb tomber developed from Old French tomber, itself traced to the Vulgar Latin form *tumbare.
Usage tips
- Tomber takes être in compound tenses, so Il est tombé uses the auxiliary être and agrees with a feminine subject as in Elle est tombée.