Verlierst

Verlierst is the second-person singular present indicative form of the German verb verlieren, meaning to lose. The base verb verlieren is transitive and typically takes a direct object, as in "Du verlierst deinen Schlüssel." Beyond physical items, verlieren is used for losing non‑tangible things as well, such as time, patience, or track.

Usage and senses

The verb covers a range of losses: losing an object (die Brille verlieren), losing a game or competition (das Spiel verlieren), and figurative losses (die Geduld verlieren, den Überblick verlieren, eine Chance verlieren). It also appears in constructions with prepositional phrases or in fixed expressions, and can be negated with nicht or kein.

Conjugation and form

Verlierst is the form used with the informal singular subject you (du). Other present-tense forms include verliere (ich), verliert (er/sie/es), verlieren (wir), verliert (ihr), and verlieren (sie/Sie). The noun forms related to the verb are der Verlust (loss) and der Verlierer (loser).

Etymology and related terms

Verlieren attaches the prefix ver- to the verb lassen or to a related root historical in Germanic languages; it shares cognates with Dutch verliezen and other Germanic languages. The prefix ver- in this context contributes to the sense of losing or misplacing.

Usage notes

Verlierst is strictly informal due to its second-person singular subject. In formal communication, you say "Sie verlieren" for “you lose.” The concept of loss is central in many idioms, making verlieren a common, versatile verb in everyday German.