Reporting a Lost Wallet | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: At a front desk, one adult prepares to report a lost wallet while another helps describe it clearly..

EN → DE / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Reporting a Lost Wallet to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ich glaube, ich habe meine Geldbörse liegen lassen.

ikh GLOW-buh, ikh HAH-buh MY-nuh GELT-bur-zuh LEE-gen LAH-sen. I think I left my wallet behind.
B

Gehen wir zurück zum Empfang und melden sie.

GAY-en veer tsoo-ROOK tsoom ent-FANG oont MEL-den zee. Let's go back to the front desk and report it.
A

Sie ist braun und hat einen kleinen silbernen Knopf.

zee ist BROWN oont hat EYE-nen KLY-nen ZIL-ber-nen KNOHPF. It's brown with a small silver button.
B

Diese Angabe hilft ihnen, bei den Fundsachen zu suchen.

DEE-zuh AHN-gah-buh hilft EE-nen, bye den FOONT-tsah-khen tsoo ZOO-khen. That detail will help them check lost property.
A

Was soll ich sagen, wenn sie nach Einzelheiten fragen?

vahs ZOHL ikh ZAH-gen, ven zee nahkh EYE-ntsel-hy-ten FRAH-gen? What should I say if they ask for details?
B

Beschreibe die Geldbörse, aber halte persönliche Informationen geheim.

beh-SHREE-buh dee GELT-bur-zuh, AH-ber HAL-tuh pair-ZURN-li-khuh in-for-mah-TSYOH-nen guh-HYME. Describe the wallet, but keep personal information private.
A

Ich kann eine kurze Notiz für sie schreiben.

ikh kahn EYE-nuh KOOR-tsuh noh-TEETS fyoor zee SHRY-ben. I can write a short note for them.
B

Das macht die Meldung verständlich.

dahs mahkht dee MEL-doong fer-SHTEND-likh. That will make the report clear.

Word by Word

Ich “Ich” means “I” and is the speaker referring to themself in “Ich glaube”. It is used as the subject when talking about your own thoughts or actions.
glaube “glaube” means “think” or “believe” in “Ich glaube, ich habe meine Geldbörse liegen lassen.” It presents the lost wallet as the speaker’s belief rather than as complete certainty, and it can introduce a thought or cautious statement.
habe “habe” means “have” and helps form the past statement about leaving the wallet behind. In this construction, it is followed by the person’s action at the end of the clause; it is useful when reporting something that has already happened.
meine “meine” means “my” and identifies the wallet as belonging to the speaker. It is used directly before “Geldbörse” to show possession of a specific item.
Geldbörse “Geldbörse” means “wallet” in this dialogue. It names the personal item that was left behind and is later described at the front desk; the word is useful when identifying or reporting a lost wallet.
liegen lassen “liegen lassen” means “leave behind” here: “liegen” presents the wallet as remaining somewhere, while “lassen” expresses leaving it there. Together, the expression says that the speaker unintentionally left the wallet in a place; the item being left comes before this infinitive expression.
Gehen “Gehen” means “go” in “Gehen wir zurück”. Together with “wir”, it makes a suggestion to go somewhere together. This pattern is useful when proposing a joint movement or action.
wir “wir” means “we” and refers to the speaker and the other person together. In “Gehen wir”, it identifies the people who should go and is used as the subject for a shared action.
zurück “zurück” means “back” and shows that the movement is toward a place visited earlier. In “Gehen wir zurück”, it follows the movement verb; it can be reused with movement actions when returning somewhere.
zum “zum” means “to the” in “zum Empfang”. It is the contracted form of “zu dem” and comes before the destination “Empfang”; this form is used before a masculine or neuter noun with “zu”.
Empfang “Empfang” means “front desk” or “reception” in this scene. It names the place the speakers return to in order to report the wallet, so it is useful when directing someone to a reception area.
und “und” means “and” and connects going back to the front desk with reporting the wallet. It is used to join two related actions or pieces of information.
melden “melden” means “report” in “melden sie”, referring to reporting the wallet to the front desk. It is useful when telling an institution or responsible person about a lost item or another matter.
sie The lowercase form “sie” means “it” when it refers back to the feminine noun “Geldbörse”, and it means “they” in “wenn sie nach Einzelheiten fragen”. The surrounding verb and context show whether it refers to the wallet or to the people asking questions.
ist “ist” means “is” and links the wallet to its color in “Sie ist braun”. It is used to describe a current characteristic or condition of the item.
braun “braun” means “brown” and gives the wallet’s color in “Sie ist braun”. It can be reused as a color description when identifying an object.
hat “hat” means “has” and says that the wallet has a small silver button. It is used to describe a feature or part that an object possesses.
einen “einen” means “a” or “an” before “Knopf” in “einen kleinen silbernen Knopf”. It introduces one specific feature of the wallet and is used before a masculine singular object in this kind of phrase.
kleinen “kleinen” means “small” and describes the size of the button. It appears directly before “silbernen Knopf”, so it is useful for giving a precise physical description of an object.
silbernen “silbernen” means “silver” and describes the button’s color or material appearance. Together with “kleinen” it gives two identifying details before “Knopf”.
Knopf “Knopf” means “button” and names the small silver feature on the wallet. It is useful when identifying an item by one of its attached parts.
Diese “Diese” means “this” and points to the detail just mentioned, namely the wallet’s appearance. It is used before a noun when referring to a particular nearby piece of information.
Angabe “Angabe” means “detail” or “piece of information” in “Diese Angabe”. Here it refers to the description of the wallet and helps explain why the front desk can search more effectively.
hilft “hilft” means “helps” and connects the wallet description with the people searching for it. In this sentence, it identifies the detail as useful to them; the form can be reused when saying that someone or something helps another person with an action.
ihnen “ihnen” means “them” and refers to the people at the front desk or handling lost property. It identifies who benefits from the helpful detail and is used for the recipient of help in “hilft ihnen”.
bei “bei” means “at” or “among” in “bei den Fundsachen”, describing the area or context of the search. It is used here before “den Fundsachen” to locate the searching activity.
den “den” means “the” in “bei den Fundsachen” and introduces the specific lost-property items. Its form belongs to this prepositional phrase and identifies a known group of things.
Fundsachen “Fundsachen” means “lost property” or “found items”. In this dialogue, it refers to the items collected and checked after being found, so it is useful in reception or lost-and-found situations.
zu “zu” marks “suchen” as an infinitive in “zu suchen”, linked to the idea of helping them search. It is placed directly before the infinitive in this construction and is useful in similar verb-plus-infinitive patterns.
suchen “suchen” means “search” or “look for” in “bei den Fundsachen zu suchen”. It describes the action of looking among the lost-property items for the wallet and can be reused when looking for a person, place, or object.
Was “Was” means “what” in the question “Was soll ich sagen”. It asks for the content of the words the speaker should use and is useful at the beginning of questions about information or actions.
soll “soll” means “should” in “Was soll ich sagen”, asking what would be appropriate to say. It expresses a request for advice or the expected action and is used with an infinitive such as “sagen”.
sagen “sagen” means “say” and refers to the words the speaker should use when asked for details. It follows “soll” in this modal construction and is useful when discussing what someone should communicate.
wenn “wenn” means “if” in “wenn sie nach Einzelheiten fragen”. It introduces the condition under which the speaker needs to know what to say and is useful for describing a possible situation or condition.
nach “nach” means “for” or “about” in “nach Einzelheiten fragen”. With “fragen”, it marks the information being requested; this pattern is useful when asking for specific information.
Einzelheiten “Einzelheiten” means “details” or specific pieces of information. In “nach Einzelheiten fragen”, it identifies the information the front-desk staff may request, so it is useful when discussing precise facts about an item or situation.
fragen “fragen” means “ask” in “nach Einzelheiten fragen”. Together with “nach”, it describes requesting details, and the pattern is useful when saying what information someone wants.
Beschreibe “Beschreibe” means “describe” and gives one person a direct instruction to explain what the wallet looks like. It is useful when asking someone to identify an object through its appearance or features.
die “die” means “the” in “die Geldbörse” and identifies the specific wallet being described. It is used before a known feminine noun in this object phrase.
aber “aber” means “but” and contrasts describing the wallet with keeping personal information private. It is useful for connecting an instruction with a limitation or opposing consideration.
halte “halte” means “keep” in “halte persönliche Informationen geheim”. It gives a direct instruction to keep the information private and can be reused when telling someone to maintain something in a particular state.
persönliche “persönliche” means “personal” and describes the type of information that should remain private. It appears directly before “Informationen” and is useful when identifying information connected to a person.
Informationen “Informationen” means “information” in the phrase about keeping personal information private. Here it refers to facts that may identify or concern the person, and it is useful when discussing what can or cannot be shared.
geheim “geheim” means “private” or “secret” in “halte persönliche Informationen geheim”. It describes the required state of the information—kept from others—and is useful when discussing confidential details.
kann “kann” means “can” in “Ich kann eine kurze Notiz ... schreiben”. It expresses the speaker’s ability or possibility to write the note and is used with an infinitive such as “schreiben”.
eine “eine” means “a” or “an” and introduces one note in “eine kurze Notiz”. It is used before the singular feminine noun “Notiz” when mentioning an unspecified item.
kurze “kurze” means “short” and describes the length of the note. It appears before “Notiz” and is useful when specifying the size or duration of something.
Notiz “Notiz” means “note”, a short written message. Here the speaker offers to write one for the people at the front desk, so it is useful for passing on brief information.
für “für” means “for” and marks the intended recipients in “für sie”. It is used before the person or people who are meant to receive or benefit from something.
schreiben “schreiben” means “write” and describes the action of creating the note. It follows “kann” as the infinitive and is useful when discussing written messages or recorded information.
Das “Das” means “that” or “it” and refers back to the proposed note or the act of writing it. As the subject of “Das macht”, it lets the speaker comment on something already mentioned.
macht “macht” means “makes” and links the note to the result that the report becomes understandable. It is useful in patterns where an action or object causes something to have a particular result.
Meldung “Meldung” means “report” or “notification” and refers here to the report about the lost wallet. It is useful in official or practical situations where information is submitted to a responsible place or person.
verständlich “verständlich” means “clear” or “understandable” in “macht die Meldung verständlich”. It describes the report as easy to understand and is useful when evaluating whether information has been expressed clearly.

Grammar Points

Adjektivendungen nach einem unbestimmten Artikel: einen + -en

einen kleinen silbernen Knopf

EYE-nen KLY-nen ZIL-ber-nen KNOHPF

a small silver button

Nach „einen“ bekommen maskuline Adjektive im Akkusativ die Endung „-en“.

Imperativ bei Verben: Verbstamm ohne Personalpronomen

Beschreibe die Geldbörse.

beh-SHREE-buh dee GELT-bur-zuh

Describe the wallet.

„Beschreibe“ ist die Befehlsform von „beschreiben“ für „du“.

German Vocabulary

Angabe noun
AHN-gah-buh piece of information; detail
braun adj
BROWN brown
Empfang noun
ent-FANG front desk; reception
Geldbörse noun
GELT-bur-zuh wallet
glauben verb
GLOW-ben to think; to believe glaube
helfen verb
HEL-fen to help hilft
klein adj
KLYNE small kleinen
Knopf noun
KNOHPF button
liegen lassen phrase
LEE-gen LAH-sen to leave behind
melden verb
MEL-den to report
silbern adj
ZIL-bern silver; silver-colored silbernen
zurück adv
tsoo-ROOK back

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

That will make the report clear.

Show AnswerDas macht die Meldung verständlich.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

front desk; reception

Show AnswerEmpfang

silver; silver-colored

Show Answersilbernen

to report

Show Answermelden

brown

Show Answerbraun