Irregular verb
The verb to lose
lose → lost → lost
A2Meaning: to stop having something; to not win · Type: irregular · Frequency: Top 50 English verbs
Key points to remember
- Present Simple:
I/you/we/they lose·he/she/it loses - Past Simple:
lost - Past participle:
lost(the same as the Past Simple) - -ing form:
losing
Conjugation of the verb to lose
Present Simple
| I | lose |
| You | lose |
| He / She / It | loses |
| We | lose |
| You (pl.) | lose |
| They | lose |
Past Simple
| I | lost |
| You | lost |
| He / She / It | lost |
| We | lost |
| You (pl.) | lost |
| They | lost |
All the forms of the verb to lose
Present Simple
Full pagelose / loses
“I always lose my keys.”
See the pagePresent Continuous
Full pageam / is / are losing
“I am losing the match right now.”
See the pagePast Simple
Full pagelost
“I lost my phone yesterday.”
See the pagePast Continuous
Full pagewas / were losing
“I was losing the match when the phone rang.”
See the pagePresent Perfect
Full pagehave / has lost
“I have already lost the match.”
See the pagePast Perfect
Full pagehad lost
“She had already lost the match when I arrived.”
See the pageFuture Simple
Full pagewill lose
“I will lose the match tomorrow.”
See the pageGoing to Future
Full pageam / is / are going to lose
“I'm going to lose the match this weekend.”
See the pageConditional (would)
Full pagewould lose
“I would lose the match if I had time.”
See the pageHow to use to lose
1. Losing something
- I lost my wallet.
- Don't lose hope.
2. Losing a game or a match
Lose is the opposite of win. Lose to + a team or a player means that they beat you.
- We lost the match 2-1.
- They lost to a stronger team.
3. Lose weight
Lose weight means to become lighter.
- I want to lose weight.
- He lost 5 kilos.
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Don't loose your keys ❌
This is the number one spelling mistake! Lose (one o) is the verb: Don't lose your keys. Loose (two o's) is the adjective: not tight. I don't want to lose my loose shirt.
2. Lossing ❌
The verb has only one s: lose / lost / losing. The noun loss (when you lose something) has two s's: a big loss.
Going further
Conjugating to lose is a key skill in the English contest
Every year, the Big Challenge tests the key English verbs. Register your students so they can check their level in a real contest.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple of lose?+
The Past Simple of lose is lost, the same for every person. The past participle is lost too. Lose → lost → lost.
What is the difference between lose and loose?+
Lose is a verb: it means to stop having something (said /luːz/). Loose is an adjective: it means not tight (said /luːs/). Don't lose your keys. These trousers are loose.
Is it I lost or I have lost?+
Both are correct, but the meaning is different. I lost my keys yesterday (Past Simple): a finished action at a definite time. I have lost my keys (Present Perfect): the keys are still lost now.
What does lose weight mean?+
Lose weight means to become lighter: The doctor told him to lose weight. In the Past Simple: He lost 5 kilos. The opposite is put on weight.
Is it lost or losed?+
Always lost. Lose is an irregular verb: its Past Simple is lost, never losed.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/lose
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.