tomber

The French verb tomber means "to fall." It is a common and versatile verb used in various contexts.

Meanings:

1. Physically falling: To drop from a higher place to a lower place.

   • Il est tombé par terre. (He fell on the ground.)

2. To happen or occur (usually unexpectedly):

   • L’anniversaire tombe un samedi cette année. (The birthday falls on a Saturday this year.)

3. To come down (rain, snow, etc.):

   • La pluie tombe. (The rain is falling.)

4. To fall ill or become affected by a condition:

   • Elle est tombée malade. (She fell ill.)

5. To die (in some contexts, especially in wartime):

   • Il est tombé au combat. (He fell in battle.)

Synonyms and differences:

• chuter: Often used for a more sudden or dramatic fall, especially in sports or stock markets.

  • Le skieur a chuté. (The skier fell.)

• déchoir: Means to fall morally or socially, to decline.

  • Il a déchu de son rang. (He fell from his rank.)

• s’effondrer: Means to collapse by falling, often used for buildings or figurative collapse.

  • Le mur s’est effondré. (The wall collapsed.)

• faillir: In the sense of almost falling or failing.

  • Il a failli tomber. (He almost fell.)

Summary:

• tomber is the most general term for "to fall," whether physically or metaphorically.
• Use chuter for dramatic, sudden falls.
• Use s’effondrer for collapses.
• Context determines the best synonym choice.