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fallar

to fail, to miss

verb fah-YAHR Less Common
Mind & Emotions Mental States

Also means

to malfunction

Usage Note

Fallar covers both mechanical failure (el motor falló) and missing a target or shot (falló el penalti). It also means to deliver a judicial ruling (el juez falló a favor de). Do not confuse with faltar ('to be missing/absent') or falar (a Portuguese false friend).

Examples

"El sistema falló durante la noche."

Natural Translation

The system failed during the night.

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