Base
I lose my keys all the time.
All the time describes a repeated habit, so use lose.
Past Tense of Lose: Lost
Lose is an irregular verb. Its past form and past participle are the same word: lost. Say I lost my keys and I have lost my keys.
Base
lose
Past
lost
Past participle
lost
Third person: loses · -ing form: losing
ABB: form patternExamples
Base
Don't lose your ticket.
After don't, use the base form lose.
Past
He lost his phone on the bus.
Lost is the past form; it does not need have.
Past
We lost the game yesterday.
Lose also means not win a game.
Past participle
She has lost her bag.
After has, the participle is also lost.
Past participle
I have lost my glasses again.
Have lost means I still do not have them now.
Usage notes
Lose or loose?
Lose, with one o, is the verb: I lose my keys. Loose, with two o letters, means not tight: These shoes are loose. The two words are easy to mix up when you write.
Lose and lost
Lose is a verb with a long sound like choose. Lost is shorter, as in the word cost. As an adjective, lost also means not able to find the way: I am lost.
Common mistakes
I loosed my keys yesterday.
I lost my keys yesterday.
The verb lose is irregular; the past form is lost, never loosed.
Don't loose your passport.
Don't lose your passport.
Loose means not tight. The verb is spelled lose, with one o.
Practise this verb
0/8
Choose the right form
Choose the form that completes each English sentence.
1.Yesterday I ___ my bag in the park.
2.She has ___ her phone again.
3.Be careful or you will ___ your keys.
4.Our team ___ the match last Sunday.
Write the missing form
Type the correct form of lose in each sentence.
Correct the mistake
Rewrite the English sentence with the correct verb form.
8.Choose the mistake in this sentence.
Answer key
1. Yesterday I ___ my bag in the park.
Answer: lost
Yesterday is a finished past time, so use lost.
2. She has ___ her phone again.
Answer: lost
Has takes the past participle lost.
3. Be careful or you will ___ your keys.
Answer: lose
After will, use the base form lose, spelled with one o.
4. Our team ___ the match last Sunday.
Answer: lost
Last Sunday is finished, so use the past simple lost.
5. We have ___ the map.
Answer: lost
Have plus the past participle is have lost.
6. He ___ his job last year.
Answer: lost
Last year is finished, so use the past simple lost.
7. Please don't ___ my book.
Answer: lose
After don't, use the base form lose.
8. I loosed my hat on the train.
Answer: I lost my hat on the train.
The past of lose is lost, not loosed.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of lose?
The past tense of lose is lost: He lost his phone on the bus.
What is the difference between lose and loose?
Lose is a verb: I lose my keys. Loose is an adjective that means not tight: a loose shirt.
What is the past participle of lose?
The past participle of lose is lost. Use it after have, has or had: I have lost my keys.