The verb to lose · Conjugation
Present Continuous of lose
The answer: am / is / are losing
A1
An action happening now, at the moment of speaking.
Quick answer
The Present Continuous of the verb to lose is am / is / are losing.
Example: I am losing the match right now.
Full conjugation in the Present Continuous
| Pronoun | Form | Contraction |
|---|---|---|
| I | am losing | I'm losing |
| You | are losing | You're losing |
| He / She / It | is losing | He's / She's / It's losing |
| We | are losing | We're losing |
| You (pl.) | are losing | You're losing |
| They | are losing | They're losing |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. She losing ❌
The Present Continuous always has two parts: am, is or are + the -ing form. Without the helper verb, the sentence is wrong: say she is losing, I am losing. Without -ing, it is wrong too: she is lose ❌.
2. I am knowing ❌
Some verbs describe a state, not an action: know, understand, want, need, like, love, believe, remember. They are not normally used in the continuous, even for right now: I know the answer, I don't understand.
3. I am playing football every Saturday ❌
For habits and routines, use the Present Simple: I play football every Saturday. Use the Present Continuous only for now or for a short time: I am playing football right now. With lose: I lose for a habit, I am losing for right now.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate lose in the Present Continuous?+
Use am, is or are (the present of be) + the -ing form losing. Use am with I, is with he, she and it, and are with you, we and they. For example: I am losing, she is losing, they are losing. In speech, you usually say I'm, she's, they're.
When do you use the Present Continuous of lose?+
Use it for an action happening now, at the moment of speaking. Also use it for a situation that is only temporary (this week, these days). Common signal words are now, right now, at the moment and Look!
What is the difference between I lose and I am losing?+
I lose is the Present Simple: a habit or a fact. I am losing is the Present Continuous: an action happening now, or for a short time. Compare: I play football every Saturday and I am playing football right now.
How do you make the negative and the question of lose in the Present Continuous?+
Negative: add not after am, is or are: I'm not losing, she isn't losing, they aren't losing. Question: put am, is or are before the subject: Are you losing…?, Is she losing…? Do not add do: Do you are losing? is wrong.
What is the -ing form of lose?+
The -ing form of lose is losing. Verbs that end in a silent -e lose the -e before -ing: lose → losing (like make → making). You also use it in the Past Continuous (I was losing) and after a preposition (before losing).
Related pages: lose Present Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/present-continuous
© 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.
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More forms of the verb to lose are coming soon.