терять vs потерять

teryat vs poteryat — lose repeatedly/in progress vs lose once

What it really means

Теря́ть is imperfective for losing as a process, habit, or general fact. Потеря́ть is perfective for one completed loss: an item is lost, a chance is missed, or contact has been lost. The same aspect contrast applies to literal and figurative meanings.

Examples in natural speech

Я часто теряю ключи.
I often lose my keys.
Не теряй время.
Do not waste time.
Я потерял телефон в метро.
I lost my phone on the metro.
Она потеряла работу.
She lost her job.
Мы не хотим потерять шанс.
We do not want to miss the chance.

Common mistakes

Do not treat потерять as only losing an object. It is also used for losing time, work, a chance, or contact. Use терять for “keep losing” and for an action viewed as ongoing.

Memory tip

Терять is the repeated or unfolding loss; потерять is the loss as one completed event.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say I lost my keys?

Say Я потерял ключи (masculine speaker) or Я потеряла ключи (feminine speaker).

What does не теряй время mean?

It means “do not waste time.” Терять can describe figurative losses as well as physical objects.

Why is потерять used in the past?

A lost item is normally presented as a completed result, so perfective потерять is natural for one loss.

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