diff --git a/README.MD b/README.MD
index a886fba..fe8fcd9 100644
--- a/README.MD
+++ b/README.MD
@@ -94,6 +94,15 @@ fn main() {
     for i in 0..5 { ... }        // 0 1 2 3 4   (exclusive ..)
     for i in 1...3 { ... }       // 1 2 3       (inclusive ...)
 
+    for i in 0..10 {
+        if i == 2 {
+            continue             // skip this iteration
+        }
+        if i == 5 {
+            break                // leave the loop early
+        }
+    }
+
     let grid = [[1, 2], [3, 4]]  // nested arrays
     println(grid[1][0])          // 3
 
@@ -109,9 +118,11 @@ fn main() {
   `push(a, v)`; array literals may nest
 - for loops: `for x in arr { }` and ranges `for i in 0..10 { }` /
   `for i in 0...10 { }`; loop variables are scoped to the loop body
+- `break` / `continue` inside `while` and `for` loops (in `for` loops
+  `continue` advances the loop variable / iterator first)
 - operators: `+ - * / %`, `== != < <= > >=`, `and or not`, unary `-`
-- statements: `let`, assignment, `if/else`, `while`, `for`, `return`, `assert`,
-  calls, `print(...)` / `println(...)`
+- statements: `let`, assignment, `if/else`, `while`, `for`, `break`,
+  `continue`, `return`, `assert`, calls, `print(...)` / `println(...)`
 - comments: `//`
 
 ## Assembly
diff --git a/compiler/compiler.v b/compiler/compiler.v
index 1937b57..bfecf28 100644
--- a/compiler/compiler.v
+++ b/compiler/compiler.v
@@ -66,6 +66,14 @@ struct Fixup {
 	off  u32
 }
 
+// LoopCtx records where `break` and `continue` should jump while generating
+// the body of a loop. For `for` loops `continue` targets the increment, not
+// the condition check, so the loop variable still advances.
+struct LoopCtx {
+	break_l    string
+	continue_l string
+}
+
 struct Gen {
 mut:
 	code      []u8
@@ -79,6 +87,7 @@ mut:
 	cur_fn    string
 	labels    map[string]int
 	fixups    []Fixup
+	loops     []LoopCtx
 	enter_off u32
 	next_lbl  int
 }
@@ -189,9 +198,11 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			g.code << op_jz
 			g.code << obj.encode_i64(0)
 			g.fixups << Fixup{ name: end_l, off: u32(g.code.len) - 8 }
+			g.loops << LoopCtx{ break_l: end_l, continue_l: loop_l }
 			for s in st.body {
 				g.gen_stmt(s)!
 			}
+			g.loops.delete_last()
 			g.code << op_jmp
 			g.code << obj.encode_i64(0)
 			g.fixups << Fixup{ name: loop_l, off: u32(g.code.len) - 8 }
@@ -202,6 +213,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			var_idx := g.new_local()
 			bound_idx := g.new_local()
 			loop_l := g.new_label()
+			inc_l := g.new_label()
 			end_l := g.new_label()
 			g.gen_expr(st.expr)!
 			g.gen_expr(st.cond)!
@@ -214,6 +226,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			g.code << op_jz
 			g.code << obj.encode_i64(0)
 			g.fixups << Fixup{ name: end_l, off: u32(g.code.len) - 8 }
+			g.loops << LoopCtx{ break_l: end_l, continue_l: inc_l }
 			prev := g.locals[st.target] or { -1 }
 			g.locals[st.target] = var_idx
 			for s in st.body {
@@ -224,6 +237,8 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			} else {
 				g.locals.delete(st.target)
 			}
+			g.loops.delete_last()
+			g.emit_label(inc_l)
 			g.emit_load(var_idx)
 			g.code << op_push_i
 			g.code << obj.encode_i64(1)
@@ -240,6 +255,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			idx_idx := g.new_local()
 			elem_idx := g.new_local()
 			loop_l := g.new_label()
+			inc_l := g.new_label()
 			end_l := g.new_label()
 			g.gen_expr(st.expr)!
 			g.emit_store(arr_idx)
@@ -254,6 +270,7 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			g.code << op_jz
 			g.code << obj.encode_i64(0)
 			g.fixups << Fixup{ name: end_l, off: u32(g.code.len) - 8 }
+			g.loops << LoopCtx{ break_l: end_l, continue_l: inc_l }
 			g.emit_load(arr_idx)
 			g.emit_load(idx_idx)
 			g.code << op_aget
@@ -268,6 +285,8 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			} else {
 				g.locals.delete(st.target)
 			}
+			g.loops.delete_last()
+			g.emit_label(inc_l)
 			g.emit_load(idx_idx)
 			g.code << op_push_i
 			g.code << obj.encode_i64(1)
@@ -290,6 +309,24 @@ fn (mut g Gen) gen_stmt(st Stmt) ! {
 			g.gen_expr(st.expr)!
 			g.code << op_assert
 		}
+		.break_stmt {
+			if g.loops.len == 0 {
+				return error('break outside of a loop (line ${st.line})')
+			}
+			ctx := g.loops[g.loops.len - 1]
+			g.code << op_jmp
+			g.code << obj.encode_i64(0)
+			g.fixups << Fixup{ name: ctx.break_l, off: u32(g.code.len) - 8 }
+		}
+		.continue_stmt {
+			if g.loops.len == 0 {
+				return error('continue outside of a loop (line ${st.line})')
+			}
+			ctx := g.loops[g.loops.len - 1]
+			g.code << op_jmp
+			g.code << obj.encode_i64(0)
+			g.fixups << Fixup{ name: ctx.continue_l, off: u32(g.code.len) - 8 }
+		}
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/compiler/lexer.v b/compiler/lexer.v
index c8048c2..d0af92c 100644
--- a/compiler/lexer.v
+++ b/compiler/lexer.v
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ pub enum TokKind {
 	kw_while
 	kw_for
 	kw_in
+	kw_break
+	kw_continue
 	kw_return
 	kw_true
 	kw_false
@@ -251,6 +253,8 @@ fn (mut l Lexer) lex_ident(line int) Tok {
 		'while' { TokKind.kw_while }
 		'for' { TokKind.kw_for }
 		'in' { TokKind.kw_in }
+		'break' { TokKind.kw_break }
+		'continue' { TokKind.kw_continue }
 		'return' { TokKind.kw_return }
 		'true' { TokKind.kw_true }
 		'false' { TokKind.kw_false }
diff --git a/compiler/parser.v b/compiler/parser.v
index 4d2b723..1b808b7 100644
--- a/compiler/parser.v
+++ b/compiler/parser.v
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 //             | 'while' cond block
 //             | 'for' IDENT 'in' range block        (range := expr '..' expr | expr '...' expr)
 //             | 'for' IDENT 'in' expr block          (iterate an array)
+//             | 'break' | 'continue'
 //             | 'return' [expr]
 //             | 'assert' expr
 //             | expr
@@ -60,6 +61,8 @@ pub enum StmtKind {
 	while_stmt
 	for_range_stmt
 	for_in_stmt
+	break_stmt
+	continue_stmt
 	ret_stmt
 	assert_stmt
 }
@@ -230,6 +233,14 @@ fn (mut p Parser) parse_stmt() !Stmt {
 				e = p.parse_expr()!
 			}
 			return Stmt{ kind: .ret_stmt, expr: e, has_val: has_val, line: t.line }
+		}
+		.kw_break {
+			p.advance()
+			return Stmt{ kind: .break_stmt, line: t.line }
+		}
+		.kw_continue {
+			p.advance()
+			return Stmt{ kind: .continue_stmt, line: t.line }
 		}		.kw_assert {
 			p.advance()
 			mut e := Expr{}
diff --git a/examples/arrays.vr b/examples/arrays.vr
index 53f327b..d8598cc 100644
--- a/examples/arrays.vr
+++ b/examples/arrays.vr
@@ -65,6 +65,29 @@ fn main() {
 	println("i is back to ")
 	println(i)              // 100
 
+	// break and continue
+	for i in 0..10 {
+		if i == 2 {
+			continue        // skip 2
+		}
+		if i == 5 {
+			break           // stop at 5
+		}
+		print(i)
+		print(" ")
+	}
+	println("")
+
+	// find the first even number in an array
+	let found = -1
+	for x in a {
+		if x % 2 == 0 {
+			found = x
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	println("first even in a: " + found)   // 10
+
 	assert sum([1, 2, 3, 4]) == 10
 	assert len(squares) == 5
 	assert squares[4] == 16
diff --git a/examples/tests.vr b/examples/tests.vr
index 7646e64..eee77e7 100644
--- a/examples/tests.vr
+++ b/examples/tests.vr
@@ -78,6 +78,53 @@ fn test_for_in() {
 	assert squares[3] == 9
 }
 
+fn test_break_continue() {
+	// break exits the loop early
+	let total = 0
+	for i in 0..100 {
+		if i == 5 {
+			break
+		}
+		total = total + i
+	}
+	assert total == 10 // 0+1+2+3+4
+
+	// continue skips to the next iteration
+	let sum = 0
+	for i in 0..6 {
+		if i == 3 {
+			continue
+		}
+		sum = sum + i
+	}
+	assert sum == 12 // 0+1+2+4+5 (3 skipped)
+
+	// break and continue in while loops
+	let n = 0
+	while true {
+		n = n + 1
+		if n == 3 {
+			continue
+		}
+		if n == 5 {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	assert n == 5
+
+	// continue advances the iterator in for-in loops (no infinite loop)
+	let odds = []
+	for x in [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] {
+		if x % 2 == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+		push(odds, x)
+	}
+	assert odds == odds
+	assert len(odds) == 3
+	assert odds[2] == 5
+}
+
 fn test_failing() {
 	// this one is meant to fail — shows up in `vr test` output
 	assert 1 == 2