How to Say "I Missed the Bus" in Spanish

perdí el autobús

/peɾdi el autobus/from spelling rules

To say "I missed the bus" in Spanish, use perdí el autobús.

This phrase is used when someone arrives too late to catch a scheduled bus. Depending on the context, you might also hear informal variations like Me quedé sin agarrar el bus, which uses the verb agarrar to indicate that you didn't manage to catch the bus or No alcanzé a tomar el bus, which emphasizes not being able to catch the bus in time.

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is built from perdí (I lost/missed) and el autobús (the bus).

Is it said differently in some regions?

Depending on where you are, the word for bus will change. In Mexico and parts of Central America, you will commonly hear perdí el camión. In the Southern Cone region, specifically Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, the word colectivo is frequently used to refer to a city bus, such as in the phrase perdí el colectivo. In Argentina and some other South American countries, you might hear Me dejó el colectivo, where colectivo is used instead of autobús or bus.

How does it change in a sentence?

The verb perdí is the first-person singular preterite form of perder, indicating a completed action in the past.

How do you pronounce it?

/peɾdi el autobus/

What mistakes should you avoid?

English speakers might mistakenly use faltar (to be missing/absent), but perder is the correct verb for missing a scheduled transport.

Did you know?

In certain South American countries, instead of saying you missed the bus, you say Me dejó el colectivo, which frames the bus as the active subject that abandoned you.
The word autobús is a linguistic hybrid, combining the French-derived 'auto' with the Latin-derived 'omnibus', meaning 'for all'.
While in English you 'miss' a bus, in Spanish you use the verb perder, which is the exact same verb used when you 'lose' your keys or 'lose' a game.

Examples in context

Vaya, perdí el autobús.
Shoot! I missed the bus.
Tatoeba #5711779 by arh, translation #9643951 by DJ_Saidez
Corrí tan rápido como pude, pero perdí el autobús.
I ran as fast as I could, but I missed the bus.
Tatoeba #1036470 by Shishir, translation #255068 by CK
Lo siento, perdí el autobús de las ocho.
I'm sorry, I missed the eight o'clock bus.

Example conversation

Mateo is explaining to Elena why he is late for their meeting.

Mateo

Perdón por la tardanza, perdí el autobús.
Sorry for being late, I missed the bus.
Elena

No te preocupes, Mateo, todavía hay tiempo.
Don't worry, Mateo, there is still time.
Mateo

Gracias, espero que no te haya hecho esperar mucho.
Thanks, I hope I haven't made you wait long.
Elena

Tranquilo, acabo de llegar yo también.
Relax, I just arrived too.

Sources

IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
Word origins: Wiktionary entries autobús, el, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.

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How to Say “I Missed the Bus” in Spanish