Learn Spanish (Latin America): Al retroceder, el enemigo cae en el pozo. - Upon retreating, the enemy falls into the pit.

Al retroceder, el enemigo cae en el pozo.

Upon retreating, the enemy falls into the pit.

Breakdown of Al retroceder, el enemigo cae en el pozo.

in / on / at

caer

to fall

upon / when (+ infinitive)

el enemigo

the enemy

Questions & Answers about Al retroceder, el enemigo cae en el pozo.

How does "al retroceder" translate to "upon retreating"?

The combination of al followed by an infinitive verb (like retroceder) is a very common Spanish structure used to say "upon doing something" or "when doing something". It links two actions that happen at the same time.

How do we know who is doing the retreating if "retroceder" is in the infinitive?

In the al + infinitive structure, the person doing the action is almost always the same as the subject of the main sentence. Since the main subject here is el enemigo, we know the enemy is the one stepping back.

Why does it say "cae en el pozo" instead of "cae a el pozo" if they are falling into it?

English uses "into" to show movement toward a destination, but Spanish generally uses en with the verb caer (to fall) to focus on the location where the subject ends up. You will sometimes hear caer a, but caer en is the standard way to say "to fall in" or "to fall into" a hole, trap, or pit.

Does "retroceder" only mean to retreat in a military sense?

While it translates perfectly to "retreating" in this context with an enemy, retroceder literally means "to go backward" or "to back up." You can use it when talking about reversing a car, stepping back from a ledge, or even backing down from a decision.