1 A2 neutral
To hit or land on a surface or person after falling.
"A branch fell on the car during the storm, denting the roof badly."
inseparable
fall on
B2 neutral inseparable transitive
To land on something, to attack eagerly, or to be someone's responsibility.
In plain English
To land on something, to jump on something eagerly, or to be something that you have to deal with.
What does "fall on" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic neutral
To be someone's duty or responsibility.
"When both parents are working, the task of cooking often falls on the older children."
inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
To eagerly attack or grab something, especially food.
"The children fell on the birthday cake the moment it was set on the table."
inseparable
4 B1 idiomatic neutral
Of a date or event: to occur on a particular day.
"Christmas falls on a Wednesday this year, which means the bank holiday shifts to Friday."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To fall from above and land upon a surface.
Actually means
To land on something, to jump on something eagerly, or to be something that you have to deal with.
Usage tip
Has several distinct senses. The 'responsibility' sense ('the burden falls on me') is very common in formal and neutral contexts. The 'attack eagerly' sense ('fall on the food') is informal. The 'occur on a date' sense is common in scheduling.
Words that pair with "fall on"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
deaf ears responsibility burden shoulders food enemy date Tuesday
How to conjugate "fall on"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
fall on
I/you/we/they
3rd person
falls on
he/she/it
Past simple
fell on
yesterday
Past participle
fallen on
have + pp
-ing form
falling on
continuous
Hear "fall on" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "fall on" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Other ways to say "fall on"
Swap in when you want variety — tap a linked one to explore it.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.