The preterite of perder is used to express a specific instance of losing something in the past. For example, you might say “I lost my keys yesterday,” indicating the exact moment or day when the loss occurred.
This is a regular -er verb in the preterite tense. The conjugations follow the standard pattern for -er verbs, making it straightforward to learn and use.
Conjugations
Conjugations of Perder (to lose) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| Yo | perdí |
| Tú | perdiste |
| Él / Ella / Usted | perdió |
| Nosotros / Nosotras | perdimos |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes | perdieron |
Boost Your Memorization with Audio!
We’ve included audio recordings of the the conjugations of Perder (to lose) in the Preterite (Past) Tense to help you learn faster.
Pro Tip: Play the audio on a loop as you study the chart. This repetition will solidify the correct conjugations in your memory.
Usage of Perder in the Preterite (Past) Tense
The Preterite of perder expresses specific instances of losing something or being defeated.
To lose: Used for specific instances of losing objects or games, for example, Perdí mis llaves ayer (I lost my keys yesterday).
To miss (transportation): Indicates missing a scheduled transport, for example, Perdimos el tren de las ocho (We missed the eight o’clock train).
To be defeated: Used in context of competitions, for example, Perdieron el partido final (They lost the final match).
Examples
Examples of Perder in the Preterite (Past) Tense
Perdí las llaves de mi casa. (I lost my house keys.)
El equipo perdió el partido final. (The team lost the final game.)
¿Perdiste el autobús esta mañana? (Did you miss the bus this morning?)
Perdimos la última oportunidad. (We lost the last opportunity.)
Los turistas perdieron el camino en la montaña. (The tourists lost their way in the mountain.)
Mi hermano perdió su trabajo la semana pasada. (My brother lost his job last week.)
Perdí el equilibrio y me caí. (I lost my balance and fell.)
¿Por qué perdiste la cita con el médico? (Why did you miss the doctor’s appointment?)
La empresa perdió millones en la inversión. (The company lost millions in the investment.)
Perdimos el tren por cinco minutos. (We missed the train by five minutes.)
Los niños perdieron sus juguetes en el parque. (The children lost their toys in the park.)
Mi amigo perdió su celular en el taxi. (My friend lost their phone in the taxi.)
Perdí la cuenta de cuántas veces intenté. (I lost count of how many times I tried.)
El artista perdió la inspiración. (The artist lost inspiration.)
Perdimos el contacto después de la mudanza. (We lost contact after the move.)
Conjugations with English Translations
Conjugations of Perder (to lose) in the Preterite (Past) Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Yo perdí | I lost |
| Tú perdiste | You lost |
| Él / Ella / Usted perdió | He / She / You lost |
| Nosotros / Nosotras perdimos | We lost |
| Ellos / Ellas / Ustedes perdieron | They / You all lost |
This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here
Synonyms
The Preterite tense is also known as the Simple Past, Past Simple, Definite Past, Absolute Past, or Past Tense Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Perfecto Simple, Pretérito Indefinido, Pretérito Simple, Pasado Simple, or Pretérito de Indicativo in Spanish.