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"I was unlucky" vs "I had bad luck"

Both phrases are correct and can be used interchangeably to express the idea that something unfortunate happened to the speaker. They convey the same meaning but with a slight difference in emphasis: 'I had bad luck' focuses on the event or situation that caused the misfortune, while 'I was unlucky' emphasizes the personal experience of the speaker.

Last Updated: March 20, 2024

I was unlucky

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to convey experiencing misfortune.

This phrase is used to describe a personal experience of misfortune, highlighting the speaker's unfortunate situation or events that happened to them.

Examples:

  • I was unlucky to miss the bus by just a few seconds.
  • She was unlucky in not winning the raffle despite buying many tickets.
  • They were unlucky to have their flight canceled at the last minute.
  • He was unlucky to get food poisoning on his vacation.
  • We were unlucky to have our picnic ruined by sudden rain.

Alternatives:

  • I had a stroke of bad luck.
  • I faced unfortunate circumstances.
  • I encountered misfortune.
  • I had a run of bad luck.
  • I had a spell of bad luck.

I had bad luck

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express experiencing misfortune.

This phrase is used to describe a situation where something unfortunate happened to the speaker, emphasizing the event or circumstance that led to the bad luck.

Examples:

  • I had bad luck with my car breaking down on the way to the airport.
  • She had bad luck in losing her wallet on the bus.
  • They had bad luck with the weather ruining their outdoor event.
  • He had bad luck in missing the last train home.
  • We had bad luck with the power outage during the important presentation.

Alternatives:

  • I experienced misfortune.
  • I encountered bad luck.
  • I faced unfortunate circumstances.
  • I had a stroke of bad luck.
  • I ran into bad luck.

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