perdre/pɛʁdʁ/
verb · A2 · Frequency 228
verb
Meanings
to lose (be unable to find)
Refers to an object or person that cannot be found.
to lose (not win)
Refers to not winning in a competition or contest.
to waste (time, opportunities, etc.)
Refers to wasting resources or time.
Examples
Je crains de perdre mes clés dans le métro.
I am afraid of losing my keys on the subway.
Perdre un match important peut être difficile à accepter.
Losing an important match can be difficult to accept.
Sans carte, il est facile de perdre son chemin dans cette forêt.
Without a map, it is easy to get lost in this forest.
Perdre du temps sur des tâches inutiles retarde tout le projet.
Wasting time on useless tasks delays the whole project.
Collocations
- perdre ses clésto lose one's keys
- perdre un matchto lose a match
- se perdre dans la forêtto get lost in the forest
Common mistakes
Je perd le match.
Je perds le match.
In the present indicative, the first-person singular of perdre is je perds with -s; il perd is the third-person singular form.
Related words
antonymgagnerto win
Grammar note
Perdre is an essential pronominal verb and must be used with a reflexive pronoun (se perdre) to express meanings like 'to get lost.'
verb
Meanings
to lose (be unable to find)
Refers to an object or person that cannot be found.
to lose (not win)
Refers to not winning in a competition or contest.
to waste (time, opportunities, etc.)
Refers to wasting resources or time.
Examples
En perdant mes clés, je suis arrivé en retard au travail.
By losing my keys, I arrived late for work.
En perdant le match, notre équipe a perdu sa place en finale.
By losing the match, our team lost its place in the final.
Perdant son chemin dans la forêt, le randonneur a appelé les secours.
After getting lost in the forest, the hiker called for help.
En perdant du temps sur son téléphone, elle a oublié de préparer le rapport.
By wasting time on her phone, she forgot to prepare the report.
Grammar note
Perdre is an essential pronominal verb and must be used with a reflexive pronoun (se perdre) to express meanings like 'to get lost.'
verb
Meanings
to lose (be unable to find)
Refers to an object or person that cannot be found.
to lose (not win)
Refers to not winning in a competition or contest.
to waste (time, opportunities, etc.)
Refers to wasting resources or time.
Examples
J'ai perdu mes clés dans le bus.
I lost my keys on the bus.
Nous avons perdu le match malgré nos efforts.
We lost the match despite our efforts.
Il s'est perdu dans les petites rues du centre-ville.
He got lost in the small streets downtown.
Tu as perdu ton temps à discuter avec lui.
You wasted your time arguing with him.
Grammar note
Perdre is an essential pronominal verb and must be used with a reflexive pronoun (se perdre) to express meanings like 'to get lost.'
verb
Meanings
to lose (be unable to find)
Refers to an object or person that cannot be found.
to lose (not win)
Refers to not winning in a competition or contest.
to waste (time, opportunities, etc.)
Refers to wasting resources or time.
Examples
Tu perds souvent tes clés dans la maison.
You often lose your keys somewhere in the house.
Tu perds la finale après un match très serré.
You lose the final after a very close match.
Si tu ne regardes pas le plan, tu perds ton chemin.
If you do not look at the map, you get lost.
Tu perds trop de temps sur les réseaux sociaux.
You waste too much time on social media.
Grammar note
Perdre is an essential pronominal verb and must be used with a reflexive pronoun (se perdre) to express meanings like 'to get lost.'
verb
Meanings
to lose (be unable to find)
Refers to an object or person that cannot be found.
to lose (not win)
Refers to not winning in a competition or contest.
to waste (time, opportunities, etc.)
Refers to wasting resources or time.
Examples
Elle perd souvent ses clés dans les transports en commun.
She often loses her keys on public transportation.
Notre équipe perd le match malgré un bon début.
Our team loses the match despite a good start.
Il perd son chemin dès qu'il quitte la route principale.
He gets lost as soon as he leaves the main road.
Collocations
- perdre ses clésto lose one's keys
- perdre un matchto lose a match
- se perdre dans la forêtto get lost in the forest
Common mistakes
Je perd le match.
Je perds le match.
In the present indicative, the first-person singular of perdre is je perds with -s; il perd is the third-person singular form.
Related words
antonymgagnerto win
Grammar note
Perdre is an essential pronominal verb and must be used with a reflexive pronoun (se perdre) to express meanings like 'to get lost.'