About This Lesson
Use Report a Missing Wallet Safely to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我找不到我的钱包了，我最后一次拿着它是在咖啡馆。
wǒ zhǎo bú dào wǒ de qián bāo le, wǒ zuì hòu yí cì ná zhe tā shì zài kā fēi guǎn. I can't find my wallet, and I last had it at the cafe.
B
打电话之前，先准备好钱包外观的描述。
dǎ diàn huà zhī qián, xiān zhǔn bèi hǎo qián bāo wài guān de miáo shù. Before you call, prepare a description of what the wallet looks like.
A
这是一个黑色的小钱包，有一个磨损的角。
zhè shì yí ge hēi sè de xiǎo qián bāo, yǒu yí ge mó sǔn de jiǎo. It's a small black wallet with a worn corner.
B
这样工作人员就能核对，而不用询问私人信息。
zhè yàng gōng zuò rén yuán jiù néng hé duì, ér bú yòng xún wèn sī rén xìn xī. That should help the staff check without asking for private details.
A
我会打电话说明我是什么时候发现它不见的。
wǒ huì dǎ diàn huà shuō míng wǒ shì shén me shí hou fā xiàn tā bú jiàn de. I'll call and explain when I noticed it was missing.
B
提到里面的几样物品，但不要透露个人证件上的信息。
tí dào lǐ miàn de jǐ yàng wù pǐn, dàn bú yào tòu lù gè rén zhèng jiàn shàng de xìn xī. Mention a few items inside, but don't share details from personal documents.
A
里面有一张照片和一张折叠的纸条。
lǐ miàn yǒu yì zhāng zhào piān hé yì zhāng zhé dié de zhǐ tiáo. It has a photo and a folded note inside.
B
这些信息应该足够让工作人员在不泄露隐私的情况下确认这是你的钱包。
zhè xiē xìn xī yīng gāi zú gòu ràng gōng zuò rén yuán zài bú xiè lòu yǐn sī de qíng kuàng xià què rèn zhè shì nǐ de qián bāo. Those details should be enough to identify it safely.
A
如果他们找到了，我可以约个时间去取。
rú guǒ tā men zhǎo dào le, wǒ kě yǐ yuē ge shí jiān qù qǔ. If they have it, I can arrange a time to pick it up.
B
现在就打电话吧，你等的时候我再帮你检查一遍包。
xiàn zài jiù dǎ diàn huà ba, nǐ děng de shí hou wǒ zài bāng nǐ jiǎn chá yí biàn bāo. Call now, and I'll check your bag again while you wait.Word by Word
我
我 means ‘I’ or ‘me’ here and is the speaker of 我找不到我的钱包了. It is used before the verb to show who is looking for the wallet, such as in 我会打电话.
找
找 introduces the act of looking for something in 找不到我的钱包. In this dialogue, it is followed by 不到 to express that the search does not reach the result of finding the wallet.
不
不 negates the finding result in 找不到, giving the meaning ‘cannot’ or ‘not find’. It comes before the verb or result sequence when reporting that something cannot be found.
到
到 contributes the result of reaching or finding in 找不到. Together with 找, it forms the search-result pattern used in 找不到我的钱包.
的
的 marks possession in 我的钱包, showing that the wallet belongs to the speaker. The reusable order is a pronoun or person followed by 的 and then the noun.
钱包
钱包 means ‘wallet’ and is the missing object in 我找不到我的钱包了. It can follow a possessive phrase such as 我的钱包 when identifying whose wallet it is.
了
了 at the end of 找不到我的钱包了 marks the changed situation that the speaker now cannot find the wallet. It is useful when presenting a new current state or change.
最后
最后 means ‘last’ in 最后一次拿着它, referring to the most recent occasion. It commonly comes before a time or occasion expression such as 最后一次.
一
一 means ‘one’ in 一次, counting one occasion. Here it helps identify one specific occasion when the speaker last had the wallet.
次
次 is the counter for an occasion in 一次. The phrase 最后一次拿着它 refers to the last occasion on which the speaker was holding it.
拿
拿 means ‘hold’ or ‘take’ in 拿着它. With 着, it describes the state of holding the wallet at that time.
着
着 marks the continuing state in 拿着它, so the focus is on having the wallet in one’s hand or possession. It follows the verb that describes the ongoing state.
它
它 means ‘it’ and refers back to the wallet in 拿着它. It is placed after the verb phrase as the object being held.
是
是 links the earlier event with its location in 是在咖啡馆, meaning that the last place connected with holding it was the cafe. This form can introduce or identify a location in a statement.
在
在 marks the location in 是在咖啡馆, meaning ‘at the cafe’. It is placed before the place name when locating an event or object.
咖啡馆
咖啡馆 means ‘cafe’ and identifies the last place where the speaker had the wallet. It follows 在 in 是在咖啡馆 to express location.
打
打 means ‘make’ as part of the phone-call expression 打电话. It is used directly before 电话 when telling someone to make a call.
电话
电话 means ‘phone’ or ‘phone call’ in 打电话. Together, 打电话 means ‘make a phone call’, the action the speaker plans to take.
之前
之前 means ‘before’ in 打电话之前, placing the preparation before the call. It follows an action or event to form a time expression such as 打电话之前.
先
先 means ‘first’ or ‘beforehand’ in 先准备好. It tells the listener to do the preparation before making the call.
准备
准备 means ‘prepare’ in 准备好, referring to getting the description ready. It can be followed by 好 when the intended result is that something is ready.
好
好 marks the ready result in 准备好, meaning that the preparation has been completed suitably. It follows 准备 to describe the resulting state.
外观
外观 means ‘appearance’ in 钱包外观的描述, referring to the wallet’s visible features. It comes before 的描述 to specify what kind of description is meant.
描述
描述 means ‘description’ in 钱包外观的描述, the details of what the wallet looks like. It is used after 的 when the preceding phrase specifies the subject of the description.
这
这 means ‘this’ in 这是一个黑色的小钱包 and points to the wallet being identified. It comes before the measure word and noun when introducing a specific item.
个
个 is the general measure word in 一个黑色的小钱包. It follows 一 and comes before the noun phrase being counted.
黑色
黑色 means ‘black’ in 黑色的小钱包 and describes the wallet’s color. The pattern 黑色的 + noun places this descriptive feature before the noun.
小
小 means ‘small’ in 小钱包 and describes the size of the wallet. It is placed before the noun it modifies.
有
有 means ‘have’ or ‘contain’ in 有一个磨损的角, introducing a feature of the wallet. It is followed here by the feature that the wallet has.
磨损
磨损 describes something as worn in 磨损的角. It appears before 的角 to identify the condition of the wallet’s corner.
角
角 means ‘corner’ in 磨损的角. It is the part of the wallet being described as worn.
这样
这样 means ‘this way’ or ‘with these details’ in 这样工作人员就能核对. It refers back to the description and introduces the resulting ability of the staff.
工作人员
工作人员 means ‘staff member’ or ‘staff’ and is the person who can verify the wallet in 这样工作人员就能核对. It appears before the action the staff can perform.
就
就 links the given information to its direct result in 工作人员就能核对, meaning that the staff can then verify it. The useful pattern here is a condition or means followed by 就能 and an action.
能
能 means ‘can’ or ‘be able to’ in 能核对. It comes before the verb to show that the staff has the ability to verify the item.
核对
核对 means ‘check against’ or ‘verify’ in 工作人员就能核对. It describes comparing the supplied identifying details with the item in the cafe.
而
而 links the verification method with the contrasting action in 而不用询问私人信息. Here it presents checking as possible without asking for private information.
用
用 contributes to the expression 不用询问, which means ‘without needing to ask’ in this sentence. It appears before the action that is said not to be necessary.
询问
询问 means ‘ask’ or ‘inquire’ in 不用询问私人信息. It is followed by the information that someone might otherwise ask about.
私人
私人 means ‘private’ or ‘personal’ in 私人信息. It modifies 信息 and identifies the kind of information that should not be requested.
信息
信息 means ‘information’ or ‘details’ in 私人信息 and is the object of 询问. It can follow a modifier such as 私人 to specify the type of information.
会
会 means ‘will’ in 我会打电话, expressing the speaker’s planned action. It is placed before the verb that describes the intended action.
说明
说明 means ‘explain’ or ‘state’ in 说明我是什么时候发现它不见的. It introduces the information the speaker will give during the call.
什么
什么 means ‘what’ in 什么时候, asking for the specific time. It comes before 时候 to form the question expression for ‘when’.
时候
时候 means ‘time’ in 什么时候 and refers to when something happened. It also appears in 等的时候, where it marks the time during which someone waits.
发现
发现 means ‘notice’ or ‘discover’ in 发现它不见, introducing the moment when the speaker realized the wallet was missing. It can be followed by a clause describing what was noticed.
见
见 contributes the idea of being seen or present in 不见. In this dialogue, 不见 describes the wallet as gone or missing rather than visible.
提到
提到 means ‘mention’ in 提到里面的几样物品. It is used before the information or items that the speaker should mention.
里面
里面 means ‘inside’ in 里面的几样物品 and refers to the interior of the wallet. It comes before 的几样物品 to describe where the items are.
几
几 means ‘a few’ in 几样物品 and gives an unspecified small number. It comes before a measure word or classifier such as 样.
样
样 is the measure word in 几样物品, counting a few kinds or items. It follows 几 and comes before 物品.
物品
物品 means ‘item’ or ‘object’ in 几样物品. It names the contents that should be mentioned without revealing sensitive document details.
但
但 means ‘but’ in 但不要透露, contrasting the advice to mention some contents with the warning not to disclose private details. It introduces the restriction that follows.
要
要 forms the prohibition 不要透露 in this dialogue, meaning ‘do not disclose’. With 不 before it, it tells the listener not to carry out the following action.
透露
透露 means ‘reveal’ or ‘disclose’ in 不要透露个人证件上的信息. It is followed by the information that must not be shared.
个人
个人 means ‘personal’ in 个人证件上的信息. It modifies 证件 and identifies the documents as belonging to an individual.
证件
证件 means an ‘identification document’ in 个人证件上的信息. It is the document from which the sensitive information should not be disclosed.
上
上 means ‘on’ or ‘from’ in 证件上的信息, locating the information on the identification document. The pattern places a document before 上的 information.
张
张 is the measure word for the flat object in 一张照片. It follows 一 and comes before the noun being counted.
照片
照片 means ‘photo’ in 一张照片. It is one of the contents used as a safe identifying detail.
和
和 means ‘and’ in 一张照片和一张折叠的纸条. It joins the two items inside the wallet.
折叠
折叠 describes the note as folded in 折叠的纸条. It appears before 的纸条 to give a useful physical detail.
纸条
纸条 means ‘note’ or ‘slip of paper’ in 一张折叠的纸条. It is the second item mentioned as being inside the wallet.
这些
这些 means ‘these’ in 这些信息 and points to the details just mentioned. It comes directly before the plural or collective noun 信息.
应该
应该 means ‘should’ in 这些信息应该足够, expressing a reasonable expectation that the details will be sufficient. It comes before the description of the expected result.
足够
足够 means ‘enough’ or ‘sufficient’ in 足够让工作人员确认. It is followed here by 让 and the action that the information makes possible.
让
让 means ‘let’ or ‘enable’ in 让工作人员确认, showing that the information enables the staff to confirm the wallet. The pattern is 让 + person + action.
泄露
泄露 means ‘leak’ or ‘disclose’ in 不泄露隐私. It is negated here because the identification process should not reveal private information.
隐私
隐私 means ‘privacy’ in 不泄露隐私 and is the thing that must be protected. It follows 泄露 as the information or personal boundary that should not be exposed.
情况
情况 means ‘situation’ or ‘circumstances’ in 情况下. Together with 在 and 下, it describes the circumstances in which the staff can confirm the wallet.
下
下 contributes the meaning ‘under’ or ‘in’ in 情况下. The expression 在不泄露隐私的情况下 means ‘without revealing privacy’ or ‘under the condition that privacy is not disclosed.’
确认
确认 means ‘confirm’ in 确认这是你的钱包. It comes before the clause stating what the staff can confirm.
你
你 means ‘you’ in 你的钱包 and identifies the listener as the owner. With 的, it forms the possessive phrase 你的钱包.
如果
如果 means ‘if’ and introduces the condition 如果他们找到了. It places the possible condition before the result that the speaker can arrange a pickup.
他们
他们 means ‘they’ or ‘them’ and refers to the cafe staff in 如果他们找到了. It is the subject of the conditional action.
可以
可以 means ‘can’ or ‘may’ in 我可以约个时间, expressing that the speaker is able or permitted to arrange a time. It comes before the action.
约
约 means ‘arrange’ or ‘schedule’ in 约个时间. It is followed by the time being arranged.
时间
时间 means ‘time’ in 约个时间, referring to a scheduled time for picking up the wallet. It is the object of 约.
去
去 means ‘go’ in 去取 and introduces the action that will be carried out at the destination. It comes before 取 to express going to pick something up.
取
取 means ‘take’ or ‘pick up’ in 去取, referring to collecting the wallet. It follows 去 when the purpose of going is to pick something up.
现在
现在 means ‘now’ in 现在就打电话吧 and places the suggested action in the present moment. It comes before the action being recommended.
吧
吧 is a sentence-final particle in 现在就打电话吧 that softens the command into a suggestion. It is used at the end when encouraging someone to take the proposed action.
等
等 means ‘wait’ in 你等的时候. It is followed by 的时候 to describe what happens during the time that the listener waits.
再
再 means ‘again’ in 再帮你检查一遍, showing that the bag will be checked another time. It comes before the repeated action.
帮
帮 means ‘help’ in 帮你检查 and introduces an action done for someone. It comes before the person helped and the action being performed.
检查
检查 means ‘check’ or ‘inspect’ in 检查一遍, referring to looking through the bag carefully. It can be followed by 一遍 to emphasize one complete check.
遍
遍 counts one complete pass through an action in 检查一遍. The phrase indicates checking the whole bag once from beginning to end.
包
包 means ‘bag’ and is the object of 检查 in 检查你的包. It identifies the other place where the missing wallet may still be found.
Grammar Points
动词 + 着
拿着钱包
ná zhe qián bāobe holding a wallet
着 marks an ongoing state or action, so 拿着 describes holding something rather than a completed action.
Chinese Vocabulary
工作人员
noun
gōng zuò rén yuán
staff
工作人员就能核对
黑色
adj
hēi sè
black
黑色的小钱包
咖啡馆
noun
kā fēi guǎn
cafe
是在咖啡馆
描述
noun
miáo shù
description
钱包外观的描述
磨损的
adj
mó sǔn de
worn
一个磨损的角
拿着
verb
ná zhe
be holding
最后一次拿着它
钱包
noun
qián bāo
wallet
我的钱包
外观
noun
wài guān
appearance
钱包外观的描述
找不到
verb
zhǎo bú dào
cannot find
我找不到我的钱包了
之前
adv
zhī qián
before
打电话之前
准备好
verb
zhǔn bèi hǎo
prepare
先准备好钱包外观的描述
最后一次
phrase
zuì hòu yí cì
the last time
我最后一次拿着它
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
the last time
Show Answer
最后一次staff
Show Answer
工作人员black
Show Answer
黑色cafe