perdido
/peɾˈdido/
In Spanish, the word for lost is perdido.
The term is used as an adjective to describe someone or something that is unable to find one's way.
Meaning: unable to find one's way (adj)
Which one should you use?
When used as an adjective meaning 'unable to find one's way', perdido describes a state, whereas as a past participle it describes an action that has been completed.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions of Spain, the phrase perder el rumbo is used to mean 'to lose one's way' or 'to lose track'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective must agree in gender with the person or thing that is lost. While perdido is the masculine singular form, you should use perdida for feminine subjects, perdidos for masculine plural subjects and perdidas for feminine plural subjects.
How do you pronounce it?
/peɾˈdido/
Did you know?
- To say you have 'lost your way' in a more idiomatic sense, you might say you perdiste el norte, which literally translates to 'you lost the north'.
- In Spanish, estar perdido means you are physically lost, but ser perdido describes someone who is fundamentally hopeless or a 'lost cause'.
- The word perdido can be used as a slang term in some Latin American countries to describe someone who has disappeared from a social circle for a long time.
Examples in context
- Lo he perdido todo.I lost everything.This sentence uses perdido to show that everything has been lost.Tatoeba #1256332 by Shishir, translation #1256854 by CK
- He perdido mi llave.I have lost my key.This sentence uses perdido to indicate a lost key.Tatoeba #504467 by Shishir, translation #257266 by CK
- He perdido mi móvil.I lost my mobile phone.This sentence uses perdido to indicate a lost mobile phone.Tatoeba #2702911 by migeels, translation #1881957 by CM
- 331 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Lucía are walking in a new city.
- DanielCreo que estamos perdidos.I think we are lost.
- LucíaNo te preocupes, Daniel.Don't worry, Daniel.
- Daniel¿Ves algún punto de referencia?Do you see any landmarks?
- LucíaNo, yo también estoy perdida.No, I am lost too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lost” translations and entries perdido, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
