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"Equivocarse" is a pronominal verb which is often translated as "to make a mistake", and "perderse" is a pronominal verb which is often translated as "to get lost". Learn more about the difference between "equivocarse" and "perderse" below.
equivocarse(
eh
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kee
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boh
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kahr
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seh
)A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
a. to make a mistake
Apaga la música; no quiero equivocarme.Can you turn the music off? I don't want to make a mistake.
b. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
La empresa reconoce que se equivocó con su respuesta.The company recognizes that it got its response wrong.
El gobierno se equivocó con esta medida.The government got it wrong with this policy.
a. to be wrong
No me equivoqué con él; es un hombre muy amable y sincero.I wasn't wrong about him; he's a very kind, sincere man.
b. to be mistaken
Creo que te equivocas; mi hija nunca haría tal cosa.You must be mistaken; my daughter would never do such a thing.
a. no direct translation
This refers to an idiomatic word or phrase for which there is no word-for-word translation.
Mi madre se equivocó de tren y, por consiguiente, no llegó aquí hasta la una de la madrugada.My mother got on the wrong train and, as a result, she didn't get here till one in the morning.
Te equivocaste de mes. El cumpleaños de Fernando es el dos de julio y no el dos de junio.You got the month wrong. Fernando's birthday is the second of July not the second of June.
equivocar
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
4. (to mix up)
a. to make ... make a mistake
Esa música tan alta me hizo equivocar; tendré que volver a calcular el total.That really loud music made me make a mistake; I'm going to have to calculate the total again.
b. to make ... go wrong
Cállate un momento. Estos cálculos son complicados y me vas a equivocar.Can you be quiet for a moment? These calculations are complicated, and you're going to make me go wrong.
a. to choose the wrong
Creo que equivoqué la carrera; mi hermano gana mucho más que yo.I think I chose the wrong career; my brother earns much more than I do.
b. to pick the wrong
Me parece que equivoqué la especialidad, y ahora voy a tener problemas para conseguir trabajo.It looks like I picked the wrong major, and now it will be difficult to get a job.
perderse(
pehr
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dehr
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seh
)A pronominal verb always uses a reflexive pronoun. (e.g., Te ves cansado.).
b. to be lost
¿Nos puede ayudar, por favor? Nos hemos perdido. Estamos buscando el Museo del Prado.Can you help us, please? We're lost. We're looking for the Prado Museum.
a. to get lost
Durante unos minutos, no presté atención a lo que decía el profesor y me perdí.For a few minutes, I didn't pay attention to what the teacher was saying and I got lost.
b. to be lost
Esta regla gramatical es muy complicada. Me he perdido. ¿Me la puedes volver a explicar, por favor?This grammar rule is very complicated. I'm lost. Can you explain it to me again, please?
3. (to vanish)
a. to disappear
El coche negro se perdió entre el tráfico de la hora punta, y los policías que lo perseguían no pudieron hacer nada para evitarlo.The black car disappeared into the rush hour traffic, and the cops who were chasing it could do nothing about it.
a. to miss
¿No leíste su última novela? Bueno, no te perdiste nada. A mí me pareció bastante mediocre.Didn't you read his last novel? Well, you didn't miss anything. It seemed pretty mediocre to me.
b. to miss out on
Como no tienes suficiente información, te estás perdiendo muchas de las ventajas que tiene ser miembro de nuestro club.Because you don't have enough information, you're missing out on many of the advantages of being a member of our club.
a. to be ruined
Ese año se perdieron muchas cosechas debido a la sequía.That year many crops were ruined due to the drought.
a. to lose one's way
Tras la muerte de su esposa, él empezó a beber y acabó por perderse.After his wife died, he started drinking and ended up by losing his way.
perder
A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object (e.g., I bought a book.).
a. to lose
Si perdemos otro partido, no nos clasificaremos para la final.If we lose another match, we will not qualify for the finals.
10. (not to catch)
11. (to reduce)
