Reporting a Missing Wallet Safely | Learn Korean in English

About This Lesson

Use Reporting a Missing Wallet Safely to practice Korean conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

지갑을 찾을 수 없어요. 카페에서 마지막으로 지갑을 가지고 있었어요.

jee-ga-beul CHA-jeul soo uhp-ssuh-YOH. kah-peh-eh-suh mah-jee-MAH-geu-roh jee-ga-beul gah-jee-goh ee-ssuh-ssuh-YOH. I can't find my wallet, and I last had it at the cafe.

전화하기 전에 지갑이 어떻게 생겼는지 설명을 준비하세요.

juhn-hwah-ha-GEE juh-NEH jee-ga-BEE uh-ttuh-KEH saeng-GYUHNN-neun-jee SUHL-myuhng-eul joon-bee-ha-SEH-yoh. Before you call, prepare a description of what the wallet looks like.

모서리가 닳은 작은 검은색 지갑이에요.

moh-suh-REE-gah DAH-reun JAH-geun guh-meun-SEHK jee-ga-BEE-eh-yoh. It's a small black wallet with a worn corner.

그러면 직원들이 개인 정보를 묻지 않고 확인하는 데 도움이 될 거예요.

guh-ruh-MYUN jee-gwuhn-DEU-ree geh-een juhng-boh-reul moot-JJEE ahn-koh hwa-GIN-ha-neun deh doh-oo-MEE dwel KKUH-yeh-yoh. That should help the staff check without asking for private details.

전화해서 지갑이 없어진 것을 언제 알았는지 설명할게요.

juhn-hwah-heh-suh jee-ga-bee uhp-ssuh-JIN guh-seul uhn-JEH ah-ran-neun-jee suhl-myuhng-hal-KKYEH-yoh. I'll call and explain when I noticed it was missing.

안에 있는 물건 몇 가지를 말하되, 개인 문서의 세부 정보는 말하지 마세요.

ahn-eh een-neun MOOL-KKUHN myuht-KKAH-jeu-reul mal-ha-DWEH, geh-een MOON-suh-eh seh-boo juhng-boh-neun mal-ha-jee ma-SEH-yoh. Mention a few items inside, but don't share details from personal documents.

안에 사진 한 장과 접힌 메모가 있어요.

ahn-eh sah-JEEN han-JAHNG-gwah juh-PIN MEH-moh-gah ee-SSUH-yoh. It has a photo and a folded note inside.

그 정도 정보면 안전하게 지갑을 확인하기에 충분할 거예요.

guh JUNG-doh juhng-boh-myun ahn-JUHN-ha-geh jee-ga-beul hwa-GIN-ha-gee-eh choong-BOON-hal KKUH-yeh-yoh. Those details should be enough to identify it safely.

그들이 지갑을 가지고 있다면, 찾으러 갈 시간을 정할 수 있어요.

guh-deu-REE jee-ga-beul gah-jee-goh eet-TTA-myun, cha-jeu-ruh GAL shee-gan-eul juhng-HAL soo ee-SSUH-yoh. If they have it, I can arrange a time to pick it up.

지금 전화하세요. 기다리는 동안 제가 가방을 다시 확인할게요.

jee-geum juhn-hwah-ha-SEH-yoh. gee-dah-REE-neun dong-an JEH-gah gah-bahng-eul dah-SHEE hwa-GIN-hal-KKYEH-yoh. Call now, and I'll check your bag again while you wait.

Word by Word

지갑을 지갑을 means wallet as the object the speaker cannot find. The 을 marks it as the object in the phrase 지갑을 찾을 수 없어요. This pattern is useful when saying that you can or cannot find a particular item.

찾을 찾을 means find in 지갑을 찾을 수 없어요. It presents finding the wallet as the action whose possibility is being discussed. The same form can appear before 수 in expressions about being able or unable to do something.

수 수 expresses ability or possibility in 지갑을 찾을 수 없어요. Together with 찾을 and 없어요, it shows that finding the wallet is not possible. This form commonly appears in the pattern verb + 수 있다 or verb + 수 없다.

없어요 없어요 completes the expression 지갑을 찾을 수 없어요 and shows that the speaker cannot find the wallet. Here it expresses lack of possibility rather than simply saying that an object is absent. It is a polite ending used in everyday conversation about what is or is not possible.

카페에서 카페에서 means at the cafe, the place where the speaker last had the wallet. The 에서 marks the place connected with the action or situation. It is useful for identifying where something happened, as in 카페에서 지갑을 가지고 있었어요.

마지막으로 마지막으로 means last or the last time in 마지막으로 지갑을 가지고 있었어요. It identifies the most recent point at which the speaker remembers having the wallet. It can be used when describing the final place or time connected with an event.

가지고 가지고 contributes the meaning of having or carrying the wallet in 가지고 있었어요. It is linked with 있었어요 to describe the wallet being in the speaker’s possession at that time. This form is commonly used before 있다 when describing possession or something being held.

있었어요 있었어요 shows that the speaker had or was holding the wallet at the remembered time. In 카페에서 마지막으로 지갑을 가지고 있었어요, it places that state in the past. It is a polite past form used for a previous situation.

전화하기 전화하기 means calling in 전화하기 전에. The form treats calling as an action that can be placed before another action. It is useful before 전에 when saying that something happens before calling.

전에 전에 means before in 전화하기 전에. It places preparing the description before the act of calling. It commonly follows a noun or an action expressed with 기 when giving a time order.

지갑이 지갑이 identifies the wallet as the subject in 지갑이 어떻게 생겼는지. The 이 marks the wallet as the thing whose appearance is being described. This form is useful when asking or explaining what a particular object looks like.

어떻게 어떻게 means how in 어떻게 생겼는지. Here it asks about the manner or appearance of the wallet rather than about an action. It commonly appears before a verb when asking how something is done or how something looks.

생겼는지 생겼는지 refers to what the wallet looks like in 어떻게 생겼는지. It introduces the content of an indirect question about its appearance. This form is useful when describing or asking about an object without making the question a separate sentence.

설명을 설명을 means a description as the object being prepared in 설명을 준비하세요. The 을 marks the description as what the listener should prepare. This pattern is useful when asking someone to prepare an explanation or description of something.

준비하세요 준비하세요 means please prepare in 설명을 준비하세요. It is a polite request directed at the listener. It can be used with an object such as 설명을 when asking someone to get information or materials ready.

모서리가 모서리가 means the corner as the subject of the description 모서리가 닳은. The 가 marks the corner as the part that has become worn. This form is useful when describing a distinctive feature of an object.

닳은 닳은 describes the corner as worn or rubbed down in 모서리가 닳은 작은 검은색 지갑이에요. It modifies the wallet description by adding the condition of one corner. This form is useful before a noun when identifying an item by a worn part or surface.

작은 작은 means small and describes the wallet in 작은 검은색 지갑이에요. It appears before the noun it modifies. Size words like this are useful when giving identifying details about an object.

검은색 검은색 means black color in 검은색 지갑이에요. It specifies the wallet’s color before the noun 지갑. Color descriptions are useful when giving safe identifying details about a lost item.

지갑이에요 지갑이에요 identifies the item as a wallet in 작은 검은색 지갑이에요. It is a polite statement that follows a noun description. This ending is useful when clearly identifying or classifying an object.

그러면 그러면 means then or in that case in 그러면 직원들이 개인 정보를 묻지 않고 확인하는 데 도움이 될 거예요. It connects the prepared description with the helpful result that follows. It is useful when drawing a practical conclusion from something just mentioned.

직원들이 직원들이 means the staff members as the people who will check the wallet. The 들 marks the staff as more than one person, and 이 marks them as the subject. This form is useful when explaining who will perform a service or check.

개인 개인 means personal or private in 개인 정보. It limits 정보 to information belonging to or concerning a person. It is commonly used before nouns related to private information or documents.

정보를 정보를 means information as the object in 개인 정보를 묻지 않고. The 를 marks the information that the staff will not ask for. This pattern is useful when stating what information someone asks about or shares.

묻지 묻지 is the asking part of 묻지 않고, referring here to asking for personal information. It is followed by 않다 to show that the asking does not happen. This form is useful when describing an action that is omitted before another action.

않고 않고 means without doing or without allowing something to happen in 개인 정보를 묻지 않고 확인하는 데. It links the action of not asking with the action of checking. It is useful for describing one action carried out without another action.

확인하는 확인하는 means checking or verifying in 확인하는 데 도움이 될 거예요. It describes the checking that the staff will do. This form is useful before 데 when referring to the activity in which something is helpful.

데 데 refers to the activity or situation of checking in 확인하는 데 도움이 될 거예요. It makes 확인하는 into the setting in which the help is useful. This usage is common in the expression 도움이 되다 with an action.

도움이 도움이 means help or assistance in 도움이 될 거예요. The 이 marks help as the subject of the expression meaning that something will be helpful. It is commonly used when describing what supports an action or result.

될 될 presents help as something that will be or become useful in 도움이 될 거예요. It connects 도움이 with the expectation expressed at the end of the sentence. This form is useful before 거예요 when describing an expected result.

거예요 거예요 gives the sentence 도움이 될 거예요 an expected or predictive meaning, roughly that it will be helpful. It makes the statement polite and less forceful than a bare assertion. This ending is useful when giving a likely result or expectation.

전화해서 전화해서 means call and then in 전화해서 지갑이 없어진 것을 설명할게요. It connects the act of calling with the explanation that follows. This form is useful when one action leads directly into another action.

없어진 없어진 means having gone missing in 지갑이 없어진 것을. It describes the wallet’s changed state and modifies 것을. This form is useful when referring to an object that has disappeared or is no longer where it should be.

것을 것을 turns the event 지갑이 없어진 into the fact being discussed and marks it as an object. In 언제 알았는지, the speaker explains when they realized this fact. This form is useful when treating a preceding situation as something that can be known, noticed, or explained.

언제 언제 means when in 언제 알았는지. It asks about the time at which the speaker noticed the wallet was missing. It is useful inside an indirect question about the timing of an event.

알았는지 알았는지 refers to when the speaker realized something in 언제 알았는지. It presents that realization as the content of an indirect question. This form is useful when explaining or asking when someone became aware of a fact.

설명할게요 설명할게요 means I will explain in 전화해서 지갑이 없어진 것을 언제 알았는지 설명할게요. It expresses the speaker’s intention to provide the explanation. This polite ending is useful when offering to do something for the listener.

안에 안에 means inside in 안에 있는 물건. It identifies the location within the wallet. This form is useful after an object when describing what is located inside it.

있는 있는 means being or located in 안에 있는 물건. It modifies 물건 and says that the items are located inside. This form is useful before a noun when identifying something that exists in a particular place.

물건 물건 means item or thing in 안에 있는 물건 몇 가지를. It refers to the objects inside the wallet that can help identify it. This noun is useful when discussing belongings without naming every individual object.

몇 몇 means a few or several in 물건 몇 가지를. It gives an indefinite small number of items. It is useful before a counting expression when the exact number is not important.

가지를 가지를 counts several kinds or items and marks them as the object of 말하다 in 물건 몇 가지를 말하되. It helps specify that only a few items inside should be mentioned. This form is useful when selecting a limited number of examples or items.

말하되 말하되 means mention or say, but in 말하되, 개인 문서의 세부 정보는 말하지 마세요. It introduces advice to mention some items while observing a restriction. This form is useful when giving one instruction together with an important limitation.

문서의 문서의 means of documents in 개인 문서의 세부 정보. The 의 links the documents to the details that belong to them. This form is useful when specifying what kind of details or information is being discussed.

세부 세부 means detail in 세부 정보. It narrows 정보 to detailed information rather than general identifying information. It is useful before 정보 when distinguishing sensitive details from broader descriptions.

정보는 정보는 means information as the topic in 세부 정보는 말하지 마세요. The 는 marks the details as the information being restricted. This form is useful when setting a topic and then giving advice about it.

말하지 말하지 is the action of saying or sharing in 말하지 마세요. It identifies the action that the listener is told not to perform. This form is useful before 마세요 when forming a polite prohibition.

마세요 마세요 means please do not in 말하지 마세요. It politely prohibits sharing the detailed information. This ending is useful when giving a direct but courteous safety instruction.

사진 사진 means photo in 사진 한 장과 접힌 메모가 있어요. It names one of the objects inside the wallet. This noun is useful when listing identifying items or belongings.

장과 장과 combines the counter 장 for a flat item such as a photo with 과 meaning and in 사진 한 장과 접힌 메모가 있어요. It links the photo to the folded note in the list of contents. This form is useful when counting and connecting flat objects.

접힌 접힌 means folded in 접힌 메모가 있어요. It describes the condition of the note and helps identify it. This form is useful before a noun when describing an item that has been folded.

메모가 메모가 means the note as the subject in 접힌 메모가 있어요. The 가 marks the note as an item that is inside the wallet. This form is useful when stating that a particular object exists or is present.

있어요 있어요 means there is or it has in 사진 한 장과 접힌 메모가 있어요. In this context, it says that the wallet contains the listed items. It is a polite form used to state that something exists or is present.

그 그 means that in 그 정도 정보면. It points back to the identifying details just mentioned. This form is useful when referring to information already known in the conversation.

정도 정도 means amount or degree in 그 정도 정보면. It indicates that the information is at that level or amount, without specifying an exact quantity. This noun is useful when evaluating whether an amount is enough.

정보면 정보면 means if the information is at that level in 그 정도 정보면. It sets the amount of information as the condition for the judgment that follows. This form is useful when saying that a certain amount or degree is sufficient for a purpose.

안전하게 안전하게 means safely in 안전하게 지갑을 확인하기에. It describes the manner in which the wallet can be identified. This form is useful before an action when emphasizing that it should be done without exposing unnecessary private information.

확인하기에 확인하기에 means for checking or identifying in 안전하게 지갑을 확인하기에 충분할 거예요. It presents checking the wallet as the purpose or standard for judging sufficiency. This form is useful when saying that something is enough for carrying out an action.

충분할 충분할 means will be enough in 충분할 거예요. It says that the listed details are expected to meet the need for safe identification. This form is useful before 거예요 when expressing an expected judgment about sufficiency.

그들이 그들이 means they as the subject in 그들이 지갑을 가지고 있다면. Here it refers to the cafe staff who may have the wallet. This form is useful when making a condition about what another group may have or do.

있다면 있다면 means if they have it or if it is present in 그들이 지갑을 가지고 있다면. Together with 가지고, it sets the condition that the staff have the wallet. This form is useful for introducing a possible situation before stating what can happen next.

찾으러 찾으러 means to go and find or retrieve in 찾으러 갈 시간을 정할 수 있어요. It gives the purpose of going: retrieving the wallet. This form is useful in the pattern of going somewhere in order to do an action.

갈 갈 means to go in 찾으러 갈 시간을 정할 수 있어요. It describes the going that the speaker plans to do in order to retrieve the wallet. This form is useful before 시간 when referring to a time for a future or intended action.

시간을 시간을 means time as the object in 시간을 정할 수 있어요. The 을 marks the time that the speaker can arrange. This form is useful when setting or choosing a time for an appointment or action.

정할 정할 means arrange or decide in 시간을 정할 수 있어요. It presents arranging a time as the action whose possibility is being discussed. This form is useful before 수 when saying that someone can arrange or decide something.

지금 지금 means now in 지금 전화하세요. It tells the listener that the call should happen at the present time. This word is useful when giving an immediate instruction.

전화하세요 전화하세요 means please call in 지금 전화하세요. It is a polite request to make the call immediately. This ending is useful for giving a courteous instruction to the listener.

기다리는 기다리는 means waiting in 기다리는 동안. It describes the activity that continues during the relevant period. This form is useful before 동안 when saying that something happens while a person is waiting.

동안 동안 means while or during in 기다리는 동안. It sets the period during which the speaker will check the bag. This noun is useful after an action or time expression when describing what happens during that period.

제가 제가 means I as the subject in 제가 가방을 다시 확인할게요. It identifies the speaker as the person who will check the bag. This form is useful when clearly stating who will perform an action.

가방을 가방을 means bag as the object in 가방을 다시 확인할게요. The 을 marks the bag as what the speaker will check. This pattern is useful when identifying the item being inspected.

다시 다시 means again in 가방을 다시 확인할게요. It shows that the bag has already been checked or will be checked another time. This word is useful when repeating an action.

확인할게요 확인할게요 means I will check in 제가 가방을 다시 확인할게요. It expresses the speaker’s intention or offer to inspect the bag. This polite ending is useful when volunteering to do something for another person.

Grammar Points

어떻게 생겼는지

어떻게 생겼는지 설명

uh-ttuh-keh saeng-GYUHNN-neun-jee SUHL-myuhng

a description of what it looks like

-는지 turns a question into an embedded clause, meaning “whether or what something is like.”

찾으러 가다

찾으러 갈

cha-jeu-ruh GAL

will go to pick it up

-으러 가다 expresses going somewhere for the purpose of doing an action.

Korean Vocabulary

가지고 있다 phrase

gah-JEE-goh eet-TTA to have; to be carrying 가지고 있었어요

검은색 noun

guh-meun-SEHK black; black color

마지막으로 adv

mah-jee-MAH-geu-roh last; lastly

모서리 noun

moh-suh-REE corner

설명 noun

suhl-MYUHNG description; explanation

어떻게 생겼는지 phrase

uh-ttuh-KEH saeng-GYUHNN-neun-jee what something looks like

작다 adj

JAHK-TTA to be small 작은

전화하다 verb

juhn-HWA-ha-dah to call 전화하기

준비하다 verb

joon-BEE-ha-dah to prepare 준비하세요

지갑 noun

jee-gahp wallet

찾다 verb

chat-TTA to find 찾을

카페 noun

kah-PEH cafe

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

It's a small black wallet with a worn corner.

Show Answer

모서리가 닳은 작은 검은색 지갑이에요.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

last; lastly

Show Answer

마지막으로

to prepare

Show Answer

준비하세요

to call

Show Answer

전화하기

black; black color

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검은색