Lost and Found

What do you do when you lose something? How can I find it once it's lost?
Let's learn some useful vocabulary and phrases for when you need a lost and found.

The normal meaning for a 'lost and found' is a place where you go to find an item that has been lost.
 
Lose and Find are irregular verbs that conjugate (present-past) as:

lose-lost
find-found

Easily lost items:

• Mobile phone
• Wallet or Purse
• Coat
• Glasses
• Keys

Example Sentences:
I lost my wallet on the train.
I lost his keys in my apartment.
I lost your coat last night.

How to Find lost items:

Where do I go?

• Security office
• Reception counter
• Manager's office
• Police Station
• Lost and Found

Once something is lost, after searching for it, you need to ask someone if it's been found.

Dialogue:
A: Excuse me, I was here yesterday and lost my phone.
B: Can you describe it?
A: It's a white iphone with a red case around it.
B: Let me check the lost and found. Maybe someone turned it in.
A: Thank you.
B: Here, this looks like what you described. Is it yours?
A: Yes, it is! Thank you!
B: Please be careful next time.
A: I will thanks.

Other ways to ask if someone has found your item is:

• Have you found any coats recently?
• Did you find a set of keys in here?
• I'm looking for a blue purse. Have you seen it?

We all have the experience of losing something and having that sick feeling in the pits of our stomach, but we have to remember to stay calm, retrace our steps and ask questions to find what you have lost.

This is not so different from:

Dropped: When you have something and it fell out onto the ground. Something dropped can become lost.
I dropped my wallet while walking in the park.

Left: Put it somewhere and forgot it there. Something left isn't lost because you have a clear memory of leaving it there, but will find it at the lost and found. I left my hat on the bus.  

Misplaced: When you remember having the item, but can't remember where you put it. This happens commonly in your home. She misplaced her movie ticket in her room.

Stolen: when the item has been taken and will likely not be returned. Something stolen should be reported at the police station. His bike was stolen in front of the supermarket. 

I hope you find this helpful the next time you need to find that item you've lost, dropped, left, misplaced or, hopefully not, stolen.

Please email or leave a comment if you have any questions, examples or stories you would like to share about anything you may have lost and found.

Happy learning!