miss the train
/mɪs ðə treɪn/
Meaning
This phrase literally means to arrive at the station too late, causing you to lose the opportunity to board the train. Figuratively, it can also mean to miss out on an opportunity, though at the A2 level, it is primarily used in its literal travel context.
Examples
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We woke up late and missed the train to Paris.
We woke up late and missed the train to Paris.
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Hurry up, or we are going to miss the train!
Hurry up, or we are going to miss the train!
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If you miss the train, you will have to wait two hours for the next one.
If you miss the train, you will have to wait two hours for the next one.
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She ran as fast as she could, but she still missed the train.
She ran as fast as she could, but she still missed the train.
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I missed the train because of the heavy traffic on the way to the station.
I missed the train because of the heavy traffic on the way to the station.
Common Mistakes
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✗ I lost the train because I got up late.
✓ I missed the train because I got up late.
In English, we use 'miss' for public transport (train, bus, flight), not 'lose' (which is used for physical objects like keys).
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✗ We missed to the train this morning.
✓ We missed the train this morning.
Do not use the preposition 'to' after the verb 'miss'. It takes a direct object.
Related Expressions
Practice
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If we don't leave now, we will ___.
💡 Arrive too late to catch the railway transport.
Show answer
miss the train
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He had to run fast so he wouldn't ___.
💡 Arrive too late for his ride.
Show answer
miss the train