decaer
verbCEFR B2
What does “decaer” mean in English?
to decline, to deteriorate
to decline, to deteriorate (to fall off in quality, interest, or standards; la calidad ha decaído)
Example sentences
La calidad del servicio ha decaído notablemente desde que se recortaron los presupuestos de mantenimiento.
The quality of service has fallen off noticeably since the maintenance budgets were cut.
El interés del público por el programa decayó a medida que la trama se volvía más predecible.
Public interest in the programme declined as the plot became more predictable.
El ánimo del equipo decayó visiblemente tras la derrota en la semifinal.
The team's morale visibly declined after the defeat in the semi-final.
How to use it
Decaer means 'to decline', 'to deteriorate', or 'to fall off' — a gradual loss of quality, force, or vitality. It is always intransitive (no direct object). Common subjects: la calidad, el interés, el ánimo, la popularidad. It implies a process over time, unlike caer (fall, more sudden). Conjugation: irregular like caer — decae, decayó, ha decaído.
Common mistake
Decaer is intransitive — it cannot take a direct object: *'decayó la calidad' is inverted subject (allowed) but 'decayó algo' with object is wrong. Don't confuse with caer (sudden fall) or bajar (go down, neutral). Decaer implies a gradual, qualitative deterioration. The irregular past: decayó (not *decaió).