About This Lesson
Use Finding a Wallet and Keys to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
財布が見つかりません。
SAI-foo ga mee-tsu-ka-ree-ma-SEN. I can't find my wallet.
B
リュックの中を見ましたか。
RYOO-koo no NAH-kah o mee-ma-SHEE-tah kah. Did you check inside your backpack?
A
前のポケットはもう見ました。
MAH-eh no POH-ket-toh wah moh MEE-ma-SHEE-tah. I checked the front pocket already.
B
ファスナーの近くの小さいポケットを見てください。
fah-soo-NAH no CHEE-kah-koo no CHEE-SAI POH-ket-toh o MEE-teh koo-DAH-sai. Try the small pocket near the zipper.
A
そこにありました。
SOH-koh nee ah-ree-ma-SHEE-tah. I found it there.
B
出かける前にファスナーを閉めてください。
deh-kah-KEH-roo MAH-eh nee fah-soo-NAH o SHEE-meh-teh koo-DAH-sai. Close the zipper before you go.
A
鍵もまだ必要です。
KAH-gee moh MAH-dah hee-tsoo-YOH dess. I still need my keys.
B
鍵は横のポケットにあります。
KAH-gee wah YOH-koh no POH-ket-toh nee ah-ree-mahss. They're in the side pocket.Word by Word
財布
財布 means “wallet,” the item the speaker cannot find in 財布が見つかりません. Use 財布 for a wallet when talking about looking for it or finding it. A useful pattern is 財布を探します for “look for a wallet.”
が
が marks 財布 as the thing that cannot be found in 財布が見つかりません. It is used after the subject in this pattern, such as 鍵が見つかりません when a key cannot be found. You would use it when explaining what item is missing.
見つかりません
見つかりません means “cannot be found” in this dialogue, referring to the wallet. It is the polite negative form related to 見つかる, and the negative meaning fits the speaker’s unsuccessful search. Use the pattern 財布が見つかりません when reporting that an item is missing.
リュック
リュック means “backpack” in リュックの中を見ましたか. It is a common everyday word for the bag being checked. Use it with a location such as リュックの中 for “inside the backpack.”
の
の connects リュック with 中 in リュックの中, meaning “the inside of the backpack.” It links one noun to a related noun or location. The same pattern appears in ファスナーの近く, meaning “near the zipper.”
中
中 means “inside” in リュックの中を見ましたか. Here it identifies the inside area of the backpack as the place to check. Use the pattern バッグの中 for “inside the bag.”
を
を marks リュックの中 as the thing being checked in リュックの中を見ましたか. It commonly follows the object of an action. For example, use ポケットを見ます when saying that you check a pocket.
見ました
見ました means “checked” or “looked” in リュックの中を見ましたか and 前のポケットはもう見ました. It is the polite past form related to 見る, showing that the checking happened. Use it with a place or object, such as 中を見ました for “I checked inside.”
か
か turns リュックの中を見ました into a polite question: “Did you check inside the backpack?” It appears at the end of the sentence. Use it after a polite statement when asking for confirmation, such as 見ましたか.
前
前 means “front” in 前のポケット, identifying the pocket at the front of the bag. With の, it modifies the following noun: 前のポケット means “the front pocket.” Use 前の followed by a noun when describing something located at the front.
ポケット
ポケット means “pocket” in 前のポケット and 小さいポケット. It refers to a compartment where the wallet or keys may be stored. Use it with を when checking it, as in ポケットを見ました.
は
は marks 前のポケット as the topic in 前のポケットはもう見ました. The sentence focuses on that pocket and says it has already been checked. Use は after the item or place you want to make the topic of the sentence.
もう
もう means “already” in 前のポケットはもう見ました. It shows that checking the front pocket has been completed before this point. Use もう with a completed action when saying that something has already happened.
ファスナー
ファスナー means “zipper” in ファスナーの近く and ファスナーを閉めてください. It refers to the zipper on the backpack. Use it with を for an action directed at it, such as closing the zipper.
近く
近く means “near” or “nearby” in ファスナーの近く, locating the small pocket close to the zipper. The pattern nounの近く means “near the noun.” You can use it when directing someone to a place close to a familiar object.
小さい
小さい means “small” in 小さいポケット, describing the size of the pocket. It comes directly before the noun it describes. Use the same pattern with another object when identifying a small item or place.
見て
見て means “look” in 見てください, where it asks the listener to look at the small pocket. It is the form used before ください to make a polite request. Use the pattern ポケットを見てください when politely asking someone to check a pocket.
ください
ください makes 見てください a polite request: “Please look.” In this dialogue, it softens the instruction to check the small pocket. Use it after a て-form, as in ファスナーを閉めてください for “Please close the zipper.”
そこ
そこ means “there” in そこにありました, pointing to the place just mentioned where the item was found. It is useful when the location is clear from the conversation. Use it with に to identify a place, as in そこにあります for “It is there.”
に
に marks そこ as the location in そこにありました. It shows where the item existed or was found. Use the pattern placeにあります or placeにありました when stating where an inanimate item is or was.
ありました
ありました means “was there” in そこにありました, referring to the wallet’s location. It is the polite past form related to ある, used here for an inanimate thing. Use it after a location with に when reporting where an item was found.
出かける
出かける means “go out” in 出かける前に, referring to leaving the house or going out. The pattern verb dictionary form＋前に means “before doing the verb.” Use 出かける前に when giving a reminder before someone leaves.
閉めて
閉めて means “close” in 閉めてください, referring to closing the zipper. It is the form used before ください to make a polite request. Use the pattern ファスナーを閉めてください when asking someone to close the zipper.
も
も means “also” or “too” in 鍵もまだ必要です, adding the keys to the things still needed. It follows the noun being added to the statement. Use it when another item has the same relevance, such as 財布も必要です for “The wallet is also needed.”
まだ
まだ means “still” in 鍵もまだ必要です, showing that the keys remain necessary after the wallet has been found. It is useful when a need or situation continues. Use まだ with a present statement when something is still true.
必要
必要 means “needed” or “necessary” in 鍵もまだ必要です. With です, the sentence says that the keys are still needed. Use the pattern nounが必要です or nounも必要です when explaining that an item is necessary.
です
です gives 必要です a polite statement form, making the sentence “The keys are still needed.” It follows 必要 to state the situation politely. Use it after 必要 when speaking politely about something that is needed.
鍵
鍵 means “key” or “keys” in 鍵もまだ必要です and 鍵は横のポケットにあります. Japanese does not mark the plural here, so the exact meaning depends on the context. Use 鍵 when asking about or locating keys in daily situations.
横
横 means “side” in 横のポケット, identifying the pocket on the side of the backpack. With の, it modifies ポケット to mean “the side pocket.” Use 横の followed by a noun when describing something positioned at the side.
あります
あります means “is” or “are located” in 鍵は横のポケットにあります. It is the polite present form related to ある and is used here for keys and a pocket location. Use the pattern itemは placeにあります when saying where an inanimate item is located.
Grammar Points
〜てください
ファスナーを閉めてください。
fah-soo-NAH o SHEE-meh-teh koo-DAH-sai.Please close the zipper.
The て-form plus ください makes a polite request.
Nの中にあります／ありました
リュックの中に財布がありました。
RYOO-koo no NAH-kah nee SAI-foo ga ah-ree-ma-SHEE-tah.The wallet was in the backpack.
に marks a location, and あります is used for the existence or location of things.
Japanese Vocabulary
そこ
pron
SOH-koh
there
ファスナー
noun
fah-soo-NAH
zipper
ポケット
noun
POH-ket-toh
pocket
もう
adv
MOH
already
リュック
noun
RYOO-koo
backpack
近く
noun
CHEE-kah-koo
near; nearby
見つかる
verb
mee-tsu-KAH-roo
be found
見つかりません
財布が見つかりません。
見る
verb
MEE-roo
look at; check
見ました
前のポケットはもう見ました。
財布
noun
SAI-foo
wallet
小さい
adj
CHEE-SAI
small
前
noun
MAH-eh
front; before
前のポケット
中
noun
NAH-kah
inside
リュックの中
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
be found
Show Answer
見つかりませんzipper
Show Answer
ファスナーbackpack
Show Answer
リュックlook at; check