Estar al caer
backTo be about to fall.
to be just around the corner; **to be just around the corner**; **to be about to happen**; **to be imminent**; **to be on its way**; **to be coming soon**
Estar al caer means to be just about to happen or arrive.
El verano está al caer.
Summer is just around the corner.
Tranquilo, ya está al caer.
Don't worry, it'll happen very soon.
La respuesta está al caer.
The answer should arrive any moment now.
Mi hermano está al caer.
My brother will be here shortly.
The expression conveys the idea of something that is imminent.
- someone is about to arrive
- a new product will soon be released
- an event is expected very shortly
- rain seems about to begin
- a decision is expected at any moment
The expression comes from the image of an object that is already leaning and about to fall.
The fall has not yet occurred, but it is inevitable and expected at any moment.
Spanish extended this physical image to events, arrivals and situations that are about to take place.
Today, the metaphor is so common that speakers rarely think about the original image.
Spanish speakers frequently use the expression to reassure others.
For example:
Paciencia, ya está al caer.
It often suggests that the waiting is almost over.
The verb caer is one of the richest sources of idiomatic expressions in Spanish:
- Caer bien → to be liked.
- Caer mal → to be disliked.
- Caer en la cuenta → to realise something.
- Caer de pie → to land on one's feet.
- Estar al caer → to be about to happen.
Although all contain the same verb, none of them has anything to do with physically falling.
Do not translate the expression literally.
English speakers would never say:
The answer is about to fall.
Instead, choose expressions such as:
- It's just around the corner.
- It's about to happen.
- It should be here any minute now.
- It's on its way.
The important idea is imminence, not falling.
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