Perder Conjugation in Portuguese
perder means “to lose” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 72 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to lose, and it is completely regular: perdo, perdes, perde, perdemos, perdeis, perdem. Its pretérito perfeito is perdi, perdeste, perdeu, and its participle is perdido. It also means to miss a bus, a train or a chance. This page gives you the complete conjugation of perder — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu perdo o jogo todos os dias.” — “I lose the game.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: perder
- English: to lose
- Verb type: Regular -er verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: perdendo
- Present participle: perdente
- Past participle: perdido
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -er verbs; pattern er in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for perder, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read perder in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about perder
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -er pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle perdido. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is perdendo, the present participle is perdente and the past participle is perdido: keep all three in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions, the present participle appears as an adjective, and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. If you know those three forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for perder. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perdo |
| tu | perdes |
| ele/ela | perde |
| nós | perdemos |
| vós | perdeis |
| eles/elas | perdem |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu perdo o jogo todos os dias.” — “I lose the game”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perdi |
| tu | perdeste |
| ele/ela | perdeu |
| nós | perdemos |
| vós | perdestes |
| eles/elas | perderam |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu perdi o jogo ontem.” — “I lost the game”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perdia |
| tu | perdias |
| ele/ela | perdia |
| nós | perdíamos |
| vós | perdíeis |
| eles/elas | perdiam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu perdia o jogo antigamente.” — “I used to lose the game”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perdera |
| tu | perderas |
| ele/ela | perdera |
| nós | perdéramos |
| vós | perdéreis |
| eles/elas | perderam |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu perdera o jogo antes do jantar.” — “I had lost the game”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perderei |
| tu | perderás |
| ele/ela | perderá |
| nós | perderemos |
| vós | perdereis |
| eles/elas | perderão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu perderei o jogo amanhã.” — “I will lose the game”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perderia |
| tu | perderias |
| ele/ela | perderia |
| nós | perderíamos |
| vós | perderíeis |
| eles/elas | perderiam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu perderia o jogo um dia.” — “I would lose the game”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho perdido |
| tu | tens perdido |
| ele/ela | tem perdido |
| nós | temos perdido |
| vós | tendes perdido |
| eles/elas | têm perdido |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem perdido o jogo esta semana.” — “He has lost the game”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha perdido |
| tu | tinhas perdido |
| ele/ela | tinha perdido |
| nós | tínhamos perdido |
| vós | tínheis perdido |
| eles/elas | tinham perdido |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha perdido o jogo antes do jantar.” — “I had lost the game”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei perdido |
| tu | terás perdido |
| ele/ela | terá perdido |
| nós | teremos perdido |
| vós | tereis perdido |
| eles/elas | terão perdido |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei perdido o jogo até amanhã.” — “I will have lost the game”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria perdido |
| tu | terias perdido |
| ele/ela | teria perdido |
| nós | teríamos perdido |
| vós | teríeis perdido |
| eles/elas | teriam perdido |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria perdido o jogo ontem.” — “I would have lost the game”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perda |
| tu | perdas |
| ele/ela | perda |
| nós | perdamos |
| vós | perdais |
| eles/elas | perdam |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu perda o jogo.” — “It is important that I lose the game”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perdesse |
| tu | perdesses |
| ele/ela | perdesse |
| nós | perdêssemos |
| vós | perdêsseis |
| eles/elas | perdessem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu perdesse o jogo.” — “It was important that I lose the game”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | perder |
| tu | perderes |
| ele/ela | perder |
| nós | perdermos |
| vós | perderdes |
| eles/elas | perderem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu perder o jogo, é bom.” — “If I lose the game, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | perde |
| ele/ela | perda |
| nós | perdamos |
| vós | perdei |
| eles/elas | perdam |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Perde o jogo!” — “Lose the game!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não perdas |
| ele/ela | não perda |
| nós | não perdamos |
| vós | não perdais |
| eles/elas | não perdam |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não perdas o jogo.” — “Do not lose the game.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha perdido |
| tu | tenhas perdido |
| ele/ela | tenha perdido |
| nós | tenhamos perdido |
| vós | tenhais perdido |
| eles/elas | tenham perdido |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha perdido o jogo.” — “It is important that I have lost the game”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse perdido |
| tu | tivesses perdido |
| ele/ela | tivesse perdido |
| nós | tivéssemos perdido |
| vós | tivésseis perdido |
| eles/elas | tivessem perdido |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse perdido o jogo.” — “It was important that I had lost the game”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver perdido |
| tu | tiveres perdido |
| ele/ela | tiver perdido |
| nós | tivermos perdido |
| vós | tiverdes perdido |
| eles/elas | tiverem perdido |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver perdido o jogo, é bom.” — “If I have lost the game, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | perdendo |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Perdendo o jogo, aprendo muito.” — “While losing the game, I learn a lot.”
Present participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Present participle | perdente |
The present participle is used as an adjective, describing an ongoing action. For example, the participle perdente is used to describe something that is happening at the same time as the main action, much like an English -ing adjective. You will meet perdente more often as an adjective or a noun than as a verb form, so learn it as a word in its own right.
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | perdido |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho perdido o jogo esta semana.” — “I have lost the game.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with perder, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu perdo o jogo todos os dias.” — “I lose the game”
- “Tu perdeste o jogo ontem.” — “You lost the game”
- “Ele perdia o jogo antigamente.” — “He used to lose the game”
- “Eu perderei o jogo amanhã.” — “I will lose the game”
- “Tu perderias o jogo um dia.” — “You would lose the game”
- “Ele tem perdido o jogo esta semana.” — “He has lost the game”
- “Eu tinha perdido o jogo antes do jantar.” — “I had lost the game”
- “Tu terás perdido o jogo até amanhã.” — “You will have lost the game”
- “É importante que eu perda o jogo.” — “It is important that I lose the game”
- “Perde o jogo!” — “Lose the game!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu perder o jogo.”
✓ Right: “Eu perdo o jogo todos os dias.”
The infinitive perder never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form perdo.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu perdes o jogo.”
✓ Right: “Eu perdo o jogo todos os dias.”
perdes is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with perdo.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu perdo o jogo ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu perdi o jogo ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito perdi for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou perdido o jogo.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho perdido o jogo esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of perder is formed with ter plus the past participle perdido: the eu form is tenho perdido. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu perdo o jogo.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu perda o jogo.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use perda here, not the indicative perdo.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho perdendo o jogo.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho perdido o jogo esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle perdido, not the gerund perdendo. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on perder. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of perder in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) perdes
- B) perdo
- C) perde
- D) perdemos
What is the ele/ela form of perder in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) perdi
- B) perdeste
- C) perdeu
- D) perdemos
What is the nós form of perder in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) perdia
- B) perdias
- C) perdíeis
- D) perdíamos
What is the tu form of perder in the Futuro do presente?
- A) perderás
- B) perderei
- C) perderá
- D) perderemos
What is the eu form of perder in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) perderias
- B) perderia
- C) perderíamos
- D) perderíeis
What is the ele/ela form of perder in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho perdido
- B) tens perdido
- C) tem perdido
- D) temos perdido
What is the ele/ela form of perder in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) perdas
- B) perdamos
- C) perdais
- D) perda
What is the eu form of perder in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) perdesse
- B) perdesses
- C) perdêssemos
- D) perdêsseis
What is the gerund of perder?
- A) perdido
- B) perdendo
- C) perder
- D) perdo
What does perder mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to lose
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) perdo — the correct form is perdo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) perdeu — the correct form is perdeu. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) perdíamos — the correct form is perdíamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) perderás — the correct form is perderás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) perderia — the correct form is perderia. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem perdido — the correct form is tem perdido. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) perda — the correct form is perda. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) perdesse — the correct form is perdesse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) perdendo — the correct form is perdendo. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to lose — the correct form is to lose. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does perder mean in English?
perder means “to lose”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is perder regular or irregular?
perder is regular: it follows the ordinary -er pattern in every tense. The gerund is perdendo and the past participle is perdido.
What are the gerund and past participle of perder?
The gerund is perdendo — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is perdido — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho perdido.
Which auxiliary does perder take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
perder takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho perdido. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle perdido.
How do I say “I lose” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu perdo o jogo todos os dias.” — “I lose the game” The eu form of the present is perdo, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of perder — every tense of perder in one place.
- Perder in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Perder examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense in Portuguese.
- Receber conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Vender conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise perder with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise perder with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise perder with the interactive tool.