Lose vs Loose
Spoken Description
Learn to distinguish lose and loose with clear explanations of their meanings, parts of speech, and pronunciation. Includes examples, quick tips, and practice exercises to help you avoid common mistakes.
Learn to distinguish lose and loose with clear explanations of their meanings, parts of speech, and pronunciation. Includes examples, quick tips, and practice exercises to help you avoid common mistakes.
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"lose" and "loose" are often mixed up because they sound similar, but they have different meanings and uses. This short guide shows when to use each one.
Lose
Use lose when you fail to keep something, when someone takes something away, or when you fail to win in a game or competition. It applies to money, time, objects, and abstract things like opportunities.
Examples
Don't(lose) your keys again!
No pierdas tus llaves otra vez.
Don't ___ your keys again!
Loose
Use loose as an adjective meaning “not tight” or “free from restraint.” It describes things like clothing, screws, animals, or any item that is not firmly fixed or contained.
Examples
These pants are a bit too(loose) around the waist.
Estos pantalones están un poco sueltos en la cintura.
These pants are a bit too ___ (loose) around the waist.
Summary
lose is a verb about misplacing or failing to keep something, while loose is mainly an adjective describing something not tight or secure. Remember: you lose things, but things can be loose.
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