Lucky vs We was lucky

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Lucky

Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective

We was lucky

InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Most formal: LuckyMost common: Lucky
 LuckyWe was lucky
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/ˈlʌki/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈlʌki/"]/🇬🇧 //wi wəz ˈlʌki//🇺🇸 //wi wəz ˈlʌki//
Meaninghaving good luckWe were fortunate.
ExampleI feel very lucky to have such supportive friends.We was lucky to find parking right outside the venue.
RegisterNeutralInformal
How commonTop 1,000 (very common)Top 2,000 (common)
CEFR levelA2-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsbe, get, strike, extremely, fairly, very, for, with, be, get, strike, extremely, fairly, very, for, withwas lucky enough, was especially lucky, was very lucky
Antonymsunlucky, unfortunate-
Common mistakesUsing 'luckily' instead of 'lucky' in incorrect contexts, Confusing with 'fortunate' as a more formal synonym, Overusing in negative contexts like 'not lucky'Using 'was' instead of 'were' with 'we'., Confusing past forms of 'be'.
Usage notesUsed to describe someone or something that has had good fortune. It’s generally positive and can be used in both casual and serious contexts. Avoid in formal writing or when discussing bad luck.Use 'was' for singular subjects and 'were' for plural subjects. 'We' is always plural, so use 'were'. This phrase is very casual and may be more appropriate in spoken English.

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Lucky
We was lucky

Frequently asked questions: Lucky vs We was lucky

What's the difference between Lucky and We was lucky?

Lucky: having good luck We was lucky: We were fortunate.

Which is more formal: Lucky and We was lucky?

Lucky is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Lucky and We was lucky?

Lucky is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Lucky: I feel very lucky to have such supportive friends. We was lucky: We was lucky to find parking right outside the venue.

Can I use Lucky and We was lucky interchangeably?

Not always. Lucky and We was lucky are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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