perdu
/pɛʁ.dy/
The French word for lost is perdu.
The term is used to describe someone or something that is unable to find its way.
Meaning: unable to find one's way (adj)
Which one should you use?
While perdu is the standard term, Égaré(e) is a more formal way to describe people or objects that are lost. Désorienté(e) focuses on the feeling of being disoriented, whether literally or figuratively. For an informal way to say someone is lost or confused, you can use Paumé(e).
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender and number with the subject. Use perdu for a masculine singular subject or a masculine noun. Use perdue for a feminine singular subject. For a masculine plural or a mixed group, use perdus. For a group consisting only of women, use perdues.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /pɛʁ.dy/.
Did you know?
- If you use the slang paumé, you are not just saying someone is lost, but often implying they are a 'loser' or a 'drifter' in life.
- French speakers use perdu to describe a place that is remote or isolated, such as un village perdu, meaning a village in the middle of nowhere.
- The word perdu is used in the expression perdu de vue, which describes someone who has not only been lost but has completely vanished from a person's life.
Examples in context
- Qui a perdu ?Who lost?This sentence is useful for asking who has lost something using perdu.Tatoeba #8703212 by Julien_PDC, translation #8045297 by CK
- Tu es perdu ?Are you lost?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is lost using perdu.Tatoeba #9556366 by Micsmithel, translation #280393 by CK
- Il a tout perdu.He lost everything.This sentence is useful for stating someone lost everything using perdu.Tatoeba #1401145 by serpico, translation #1737350 by Spamster
- J'ai égaré mes clés.I have lost my keys.
- Je suis perdu.I am lost.
- Je me sens désorienté dans cette nouvelle ville.I feel lost in this new city.
- J'ai pris le mauvais bus et je me suis retrouvé complètement paumé.I took the wrong bus and ended up totally lost.
- 1146 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Emma and Nathan are walking in a new city.
- EmmaJe crois que je suis perdu.I think I am lost.
- NathanRegarde la carte sur ton téléphone.Look at the map on your phone.
- EmmaJe n'ai plus de batterie !I have no more battery!
- NathanNe t'inquiète pas, je connais le chemin.Don't worry, I know the way.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lost” translations and entries perdu, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
