01
lose
loose
Not firmly in place, attached, or connected; loose.
example
Der Knopf an meiner Jacke ist lose und muss angenäht werden.
The button on my jacket is loose and needs to be sewn on.
lose
loose
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Meanings
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Usage tips
False friend
Careful: 'lose' does not mean 'verlieren' (to lose), but rather 'locker' or 'nicht fest' (loose/not firm). The German verb for 'to lose' is 'verlieren'.
EXAMPLE
Die Schraube ist lose, du könntest sie verlieren.
The screw is loose; you could lose it.
Word family
The adjective 'lose' (loose) is related to the verb 'lösen' (to loosen/undo). When something comes loose, such as a screw or a knot, it becomes 'lose' (loose).
EXAMPLE
Wenn du den Knoten löst, wird das Seil lose.
If you undo the knot, the rope becomes loose.
Typical collocations
In the meaning 'not firm', 'lose' (loose) is often combined with things that should actually be attached. Typical examples are: 'ein loser Zahn' (a loose tooth), 'eine lose Schraube' (a loose screw), or 'ein loses Kabel' (a loose cable).
EXAMPLE
Der Wackelkontakt kommt von einem losen Kabel.
The loose connection is caused by a loose cable.
Context clue: material
With materials such as soil, tea, or snow, 'lose' (loose) means that they are not pressed or individually packaged. You then buy them by weight or volume.
EXAMPLE
Möchtest du Teebeutel oder losen Tee kaufen?
Would you like to buy tea bags or loose tea?
Compare with
lose vs los
go / loose
'los' and 'lose' can both mean that something is not fixed in place. The most important difference is how they are used in a sentence. 'los' often comes after 'sein' or 'werden': 'Eine Schraube ist los' (a screw is loose). 'lose' more often comes directly before a noun: 'eine lose Schraube' (a loose screw), 'lose Blätter' (loose sheets), 'lose Erde' (loose soil). This is why learners can easily confuse the words: they look and sound similar. Remember: 'los' often describes the state, while 'lose' often describes the thing more precisely before the noun. The other meanings of 'los', for example as a command, have nothing to do with 'lose'.
lose
Im Ordner liegen noch ein paar lose Blätter.
There are still a few loose sheets in the folder.
los
Am Fahrrad ist eine Schraube los.
A screw on the bicycle is loose.
In real life
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