caerle bien
verbCEFR B1
What does “caerle bien” mean in English?
to like someone
to like someone (as a person), to find someone pleasant (gustar-type: me cae bien = I like him/her; me cae mal = I don't like them)
Example sentences
Mi nueva compañera me cae muy bien; desde el primer día me pareció una persona abierta, divertida y muy fácil de tratar.
I really like my new colleague; from the first day she seemed like an open, fun person who is very easy to get on with.
Hay personas que te caen bien nada más conocerlas y otras con las que necesitas tiempo para sentirte cómodo.
There are people you like straight away when you meet them and others with whom you need time to feel comfortable.
A mi jefe no le caigo muy bien, creo; siempre que hablo en las reuniones me interrumpe antes de terminar.
I don't think my boss likes me very much; every time I speak in meetings, he interrupts me before I finish.
How to use it
Caerle bien (a alguien) means 'to like someone' in the sense of finding them pleasant, likeable, or easy to get along with. Like gustar, it follows the reverse-subject pattern: the person you like is the grammatical subject, and the person who likes them is marked with an indirect object clitic. Me cae bien = I like him/her (as a person). It refers to personal chemistry and first impressions, not deep affection (that would be querer). The negative me cae mal = I don't like them / they rub me the wrong way. Closely related: llevarse bien con alguien (to get along well with someone — ongoing relationship).
Common mistake
Caer bien follows the gustar syntax exactly — the subject is the person being liked, not the person doing the liking. The error is '*me gusto mi compañera' — gustar is for things/activities; caer bien is specifically for finding people likeable. Also: caer bien (initial impression / general feeling) vs llevarse bien (ongoing good relationship with someone).