Finding a Wallet and Keys | Learn Spanish in English

Spanish lesson set in a contemporary Madrid everyday setting: In daily life, two adults look through a backpack to find a wallet and keys before one person leaves..

EN → ES / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Finding a Wallet and Keys to practice Spanish conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

No encuentro mi cartera.

noh ehn-KWEN-troh mee kar-TEH-rah I can't find my wallet.
B

¿Revisaste dentro de tu mochila?

reh-bee-SAS-teh DEN-troh deh too moh-CHEE-lah Did you check inside your backpack?
A

Ya revisé el bolsillo delantero.

yah reh-bee-SEH el bohl-SEE-yoh deh-lan-TEH-roh I checked the front pocket already.
B

Prueba el bolsillo pequeño cerca de la cremallera.

PROO-eh-bah el bohl-SEE-yoh peh-KEH-nyoh SEHR-kah deh lah kreh-mah-YEH-rah Try the small pocket near the zipper.
A

Lo encontré allí.

loh ehn-kohn-TREH ah-YEE I found it there.
B

Cierra la cremallera antes de irte.

SYEH-rrah lah kreh-mah-YEH-rah AHN-tehs deh EER-teh Close the zipper before you go.
A

Todavía necesito mis llaves.

toh-dah-BEE-ah neh-seh-SEE-toh mees YAH-behs I still need my keys.
B

Están en el bolsillo lateral.

ehs-TAHN en el bohl-SEE-yoh lah-teh-RAHL They're in the side pocket.

Word by Word

No “No” negates “encuentro” here, giving the meaning “not” in “No encuentro mi cartera.” A useful reuse is “No encuentro + object” when you cannot find something.
encuentro “encuentro” means “find” in “No encuentro mi cartera,” describing the speaker’s inability to locate the wallet. The citation form is encontrar. Reuse it with an object after the verb, as in “No encuentro + object.”
mi “mi” means “my” before “cartera,” showing that the wallet belongs to the speaker. Reuse “mi + noun” to identify something as yours.
cartera “cartera” means “wallet” in “No encuentro mi cartera.” Use it to name the wallet when looking for it or talking about where it is.
Revisaste “Revisaste” asks whether the listener checked something in “¿Revisaste dentro de tu mochila?” The citation form is revisar. A useful question pattern is “¿Revisaste + place or object?” when asking whether someone checked it.
dentro “dentro” means “inside” in “dentro de tu mochila,” locating something within the backpack. Reuse “dentro de + place or container” to say where something is.
de In “dentro de tu mochila,” “de” links “dentro” with the container that follows it. Reuse the complete pattern “dentro de + place or container” for an inside location.
tu “tu” means “your” before “mochila,” referring to the backpack belonging to the listener. Reuse “tu + noun” when identifying something as the listener’s.
mochila “mochila” means “backpack” in “dentro de tu mochila.” Use it when talking about a backpack or locating something inside it.
Ya “Ya” means “already” in “Ya revisé el bolsillo delantero,” showing that the checking happened before this point. Reuse “Ya + verb” to say that an action has already happened.
revisé “revisé” means “I checked” in “Ya revisé el bolsillo delantero.” The citation form is revisar. Reuse it with the thing or place checked, such as “Ya revisé + object or place.”
el “el” means “the” before “bolsillo,” referring to a specific pocket in “el bolsillo delantero.” Reuse “el + noun” when pointing to a particular masculine-named item.
bolsillo “bolsillo” means “pocket” in “el bolsillo delantero.” Use it with a location or description to identify a particular pocket.
delantero “delantero” means “front” in “el bolsillo delantero,” identifying which pocket was checked. Reuse a noun followed by a describing word, as in “bolsillo + description.”
Prueba “Prueba” tells one person to try something in “Prueba el bolsillo pequeño.” The citation form is probar. Reuse “Prueba + object or place” when suggesting that someone try a possible solution.
pequeño “pequeño” means “small” in “el bolsillo pequeño,” describing the size of the pocket. Reuse it after a noun when identifying a small item or place.
cerca “cerca” means “near” in “cerca de la cremallera,” giving the location of the small pocket. Reuse “cerca de + place or object” to describe something nearby.
la “la” means “the” before “cremallera,” referring to a specific zipper in “la cremallera.” Reuse “la + noun” when pointing to a particular feminine-named item.
cremallera “cremallera” means “zipper” in “cerca de la cremallera” and “Cierra la cremallera.” Use it when locating or closing the zipper on the backpack.
Lo “Lo” is the short object word for the item found in “Lo encontré allí,” placed before “encontré.” Reuse “Lo + verb” when referring to an item already understood in the conversation.
encontré “encontré” means “I found” in “Lo encontré allí,” reporting that the speaker located the item. The citation form is encontrar. Reuse it with the thing found, as in “encontré + object.”
allí “allí” means “there” in “Lo encontré allí,” pointing to the place where the item was found. Reuse it after a verb when referring to a location already clear from the situation.
Cierra “Cierra” tells one person to close something in “Cierra la cremallera.” The citation form is cerrar. Reuse “Cierra + object” for a direct instruction to close an item.
antes “antes” means “before” in “antes de irte,” setting the timing for closing the zipper. Reuse “antes de + action” when one action should happen earlier than another.
irte “irte” refers to the listener leaving in “antes de irte.” It is used here after “antes de” to name the action that should happen after the zipper is closed.
Todavía “Todavía” means “still” in “Todavía necesito mis llaves,” showing that the need remains. Reuse “Todavía + verb” when a situation continues to be true.
necesito “necesito” means “I need” in “Todavía necesito mis llaves.” The citation form is necesitar. Reuse it with the needed item after the verb, as in “necesito + object.”
mis “mis” means “my” before “llaves,” showing that the keys belong to the speaker. Reuse “mis + plural noun” to identify several things as yours.
llaves “llaves” means “keys” in “Todavía necesito mis llaves.” Use it when talking about keys that someone needs to find or carry.
Están “Están” means “they are” in “Están en el bolsillo lateral,” stating where the keys are. The citation form is estar. Reuse “Están en + place” to give the location of plural items.
en “en” means “in” in “en el bolsillo lateral,” placing the keys inside the side pocket. Reuse “en + place” to state where something is located.
lateral “lateral” means “side” in “el bolsillo lateral,” identifying which pocket contains the keys. Reuse a noun followed by “lateral” when distinguishing a side item or location.

Grammar Points

sustantivo + adjetivo

bolsillo delantero

bohl-SEE-yoh deh-lan-TEH-roh

front pocket

En español, el adjetivo suele ir después del sustantivo y debe concordar con él en género y número.

dentro de + sustantivo

dentro de la mochila

DEN-troh deh lah moh-CHEE-lah

inside the backpack

“Dentro de” expresa ubicación interior y va seguido de un sustantivo.

Spanish Vocabulary

bolsillo noun
bohl-SEE-yoh pocket

Ya revisé el bolsillo delantero.

cartera noun
kar-TEH-rah wallet

No encuentro mi cartera.

cerca de prep
SEHR-kah deh near

Prueba el bolsillo pequeño cerca de la cremallera.

cremallera noun
kreh-mah-YEH-rah zipper

Prueba el bolsillo pequeño cerca de la cremallera.

delantero adj
deh-lan-TEH-roh front

Ya revisé el bolsillo delantero.

dentro de prep
DEN-troh deh inside

¿Revisaste dentro de tu mochila?

encuentro verb
ehn-KWEN-troh find

No encuentro mi cartera.

mochila noun
moh-CHEE-lah backpack

¿Revisaste dentro de tu mochila?

pequeño adj
peh-KEH-nyoh small

Prueba el bolsillo pequeño cerca de la cremallera.

prueba verb
PROO-eh-bah try

Prueba el bolsillo pequeño cerca de la cremallera.

revisaste verb
reh-bee-SAS-teh checked

¿Revisaste dentro de tu mochila?

revisé verb
reh-bee-SEH checked

Ya revisé el bolsillo delantero.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I can't find my wallet.

Show AnswerNo encuentro mi cartera.

Did you check inside your backpack?

Show Answer¿Revisaste dentro de tu mochila?

I checked the front pocket already.

Show AnswerYa revisé el bolsillo delantero.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

checked

Show Answerrevisaste

backpack

Show Answermochila

checked

Show Answerrevisé

find

Show Answerencuentro