tú te lo pierdes
/tu te lo pjeɾdes/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "your loss" is tú te lo pierdes.
The phrase tú te lo pierdes is used colloquially to imply that a person's refusal or inability to participate is their own disadvantage. It is an expression used to tell someone that they are missing out on something good because of their decision.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, tú te lo pierdes translates to "you lose it for yourself" or "you are missing out on it".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, use vosotros os lo perdéis when addressing a group of people informally. In Latin American Spanish, ustedes se lo pierden is used for both formal and informal plural "you".
How does it change in a sentence?
Depending on who you are addressing, the verb and pronouns change: use usted se lo pierde when speaking to someone in a formal context or to someone you do not know well, vosotros os lo perdéis when addressing a group of people informally in Spain and ustedes se lo pierden for both formal and informal plural "you" in Latin American Spanish.
How do you pronounce it?
/tu te lo pjeɾdes/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying tú te lo pierdes with a smile can be a playful way to flirt, suggesting that the other person is missing a chance to spend time with you.
- The pronoun lo in tú te lo pierdes is actually a remnant of the Latin word illud, which meant 'that' or 'that thing'. It functions here as a neuter pronoun to represent the abstract concept of the 'good thing' being missed.
- While English uses the noun 'loss' to describe the situation, Spanish uses the reflexive verb structure perderse to emphasize that the person is the one actively undergoing the experience of missing out.
Examples in context
- Si no quieres venir, tú te lo pierdes.If you don't want to come, your loss.
- No voy a convencerte, tú te lo pierdes.I am not going to convince you, your loss.
Example conversation
Mateo declines an invitation to a great concert.
- Elena¿Quieres venir al concierto conmigo?Do you want to come to the concert with me?
- MateoNo puedo, tengo que trabajar.I can't, I have to work.
- ElenaQué mal, tú te lo pierdes.That's too bad, your loss.
- MateoLo siento, Elena, pero es verdad.I'm sorry, Elena, but it's true.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lo, te, tú, CC BY-SA 4.0.
