Your son goes away on a trip and you miss him. After a few days camping in the mountain, you start missing your bed back home. You missed your flight to Mexico this morning. You noticed your mobile phone is missing and can’t find it anywhere.
There’s a lot of missing going on in our everyday conversations. Let’s take a close look at the difference and implication of two uses of ‘missing’. In future mini lessons, more uses will be approached.
First use: Missing a loved one
If you miss a loved one that goes away, the verb extrañar is used. You can “miss” not only a person but things or animals as well i.e. your computer, your hometown, your pet.
The I form, I miss, would be extraño followed by letter “a”. The use of letter “a” has to do with a personal concept, which indicates the referrent in your sentences, the person you’re missing.
Extraño a mi hermano. — I miss my brother.
Extraño a mi novia. — I miss my girlfriend.
The personal “a” is not used when you miss things, not people.
Extraño México. — I miss Mexico.
Extraño mi celular. — I miss my mobile phone.
Some people might use the personal “a” with pets, especially when feelings are involved. Both of the following sentences are accepted:
Extraño a mi perrito. — I miss my puppy.
Extraño mi perrito. — I miss my puppy.
Second use: Missing your transportation.
If you want to say that you don’t want to miss your flight, then use the verb perder, which literally means ‘to lose‘. This verb works for both missing your transportation or losing your belongings.
No quiero perder mi vuelo. — I don’t want to miss my flight.
No quiero perder mis llaves. — I don’t want to lose my keys.
‘Missing in Spanish Basic Quiz
