perder

Senses

1. 1.

   to lose

   to no longer have or possess something

2. 2.

   to miss

   to fail to catch or attend something expected

3. 3.

   to waste

   to use time or resources without benefit

4. 4.

   to ruin

   to cause someone's downfall or destruction

Examples

• "Perdí las llaves esta mañana."

  I lost my keys this morning.

• "No quiero perder el tren de las 5."

  I don't want to miss the 5 o'clock train.

• "No pierdas tiempo en cosas sin importancia."

  Don't waste time on unimportant things.

Usage

Perder is a common stem-changing verb (e → ie). In sports and games, it means "to lose/be defeated." The reflexive form *perderse* means "to get lost" or "to miss out on something."