Fall for meaning
Fall for means to start to love someone, often quickly. It can also mean to believe a trick or lie that is not true.
fall for somebody
fall for · fell · fallen · falling
She fell for a French student during her year abroad.
Fall for meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Start to love someone, often quickly
fall for somebody
- She fell for a French student during her year abroad.
- I think I’m falling for you.
- He didn’t fall for her at first, but now they’re married.
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2
Believe a trick or lie that is not true
fall for something
- My grandad nearly fell for a fake bank email.
- Don’t fall for it. That deal is too good to be true.
- Did you really fall for my April Fool’s joke?
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use fall for in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is fall for separable?
Fall for is not separable. The person or trick comes after for: fall for Sam, fall for it. Never fall him for.
With places and things it means start to love them: I fell for Lisbon on my first visit. I’m not falling for that again! means you will not be tricked.
Verb tenses for fall for
| Present | I fall for · she falls for |
|---|---|
| Past | fell for |
| Present perfect | have fallen for |
| -ing form | falling for |
Common mistakes with fall for
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: He fell in love for her in Paris.
Right: He fell for her in Paris.
Say fall for someone, or fall in love with someone.
Wrong: I almost fell to the trick.
Right: I almost fell for the trick.
The particle is for.
Wrong: She has fell for an old scam.
Right: She has fallen for an old scam.
The past participle is fallen.
Synonyms and opposites of fall for
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- fall in love withstart to love someone, a bit stronger and longer
- have a crush onlike someone romantically, often secretly
- be taken inbe tricked into believing something
Opposite
- see throughunderstand that something is a trick
- break upend a romantic relationship
Fall for quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1They met on holiday and ___ each other straight away.
Fall for someone means start to love them.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Fall for is not separable, and the particle is for.
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3“The text said I won a phone. I nearly fell for it.” What happened?
Fall for a trick means believe it.
More phrasal verbs with fall
All phrasal verbs with fall, by level, with an exercise
6 phrasal verbs start with fall. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
Fall for FAQ
Questions people ask about fall for.
What is the difference between fall for and fall in love with?
They are close. Fall for often means the start, and can be quick or light. Fall in love with sounds deeper.
What does I won’t fall for that mean?
It means I know it is a trick and I will not believe it.
Is fall for informal?
Yes, it is informal and common in speech, songs and films.
Use fall for in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.