何かを失くしました
nanika o nakushimashita
In Japanese, "I lost something" is said as 何かを失くしました (nanika o nakushimashita).
This phrase is used to say that a physical object is missing because it was misplaced or dropped.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of 何か (nanika), which means "something". The particle を (o), which marks the object that was lost. And 失くしました (nakushimashita), which is the polite past tense of the verb nakusu, meaning "to lose" or "to misplace".
How does it change in a sentence?
The informal version of the polite phrase is 何かを失くした.
How do you pronounce it?
nanika o nakushimashita
Did you know?
- While 失くす is used for losing objects, the word 失う (ushinau) is used for losing abstract things like hope, trust or a loved one. Although they both translate to 'lose' in English, using 失くす for a person would sound like you misplaced them as if they were a set of keys.
- Japanese uses a specific kanji 失 for losing things, which also appears in the word 失敗 (shippai) meaning 'failure'. This suggests a linguistic link between the act of losing something and the act of failing a task.
- In Japan, the lost and found culture is so robust that even if you lose your wallet in a crowded station, there is a high probability it will be turned in to a nearby 交番 (koban), or police box, rather than a central office.
Examples in context
- すみません、お客様のお財布を失くしました。I'm sorry, I have lost your wallet.
- えっ、財布なくしちゃった！Oh no, I lost my wallet!
- 鍵を落としちゃったんだ。I dropped my keys.
- 何かを失くしました。Nanika o nakushimashita.I lost something.
- 大切な何かを失くしました。Taisetsu na nanika o nakushimashita.I lost something important.
Example conversation
Hiroto and Yui are looking for a missing item in the living room.
- 大翔 Hiroto結衣、何かを失くしました。Yui, nanika o nakushimashita.Yui, I lost something.
- 結衣 Yuiえっ、何を失くしたの？E', nani o nakushita no?What? What did you lose?
- 大翔 Hiroto車の鍵が見当たりません。Kuruma no kagi ga miatarimasen.I can't find my car keys.
- 結衣 Yui一緒に探してあげるね。Issho ni sagashite ageru ne.I'll help you look for them.
