perdí

Perdí is the first-person singular form of the Spanish verb perder in the preterite tense (pretérito perfecto simple). It translates to “I lost” or “I missed” in English, depending on the context. The verb perder means to fail to keep or retain something, to misplace it, or to miss a time, event, or opportunity. The preterite form perdí signals a completed past action, distinguishing it from ongoing or habitual past actions expressed with other tenses.

In addition to perdí, the preterite of perder shows a stem change from e to i in all forms: perdí, perdiste, perdió, perdimos, perdisteis, perdieron. This forms a characteristic irregular pattern in the preterite, while the infinitive remains perder. Other related forms include the present pierdo (I lose) and the imperfect perdía (I was losing / I used to lose).

Common uses include losing physical objects (Yo perdí las llaves), missing events or opportunities (Perdí el tren / Perdí la oportunidad), or losing weight (Perdí diez kilos). The phrase can also appear idiomatically in expressions about time or chances being lost.

Etymologically, perder comes from Latin perdere, through Old Spanish perder. Perdí is a fundamental, frequently used verb form in everyday Spanish, essential for describing past losses, missed chances, and completed actions.