objetos perdidos
/obxetos peɾdidos/from spelling rulesmasculine, plural
The English phrase lost and found is translated into Spanish as objetos perdidos. If unsure, use objetos perdidos. Wiktionary also lists objetos perdidos y encontrados.
Meaning: department, service or location where items that are found can be claimed by their owners (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| objetos perdidos | /obxetos peɾdidos/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, plural |
| objetos perdidos y encontrados | /obxetos peɾdidos i enkontɾados/ (from spelling rules) | masculine, plural |
In Spanish, objetos perdidos is used to describe both the specific items that have been lost and the service or location where they are kept. While you can use more descriptive phrases, this is the standard way to refer to a lost and found.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase objetos perdidos literally translates to "lost objects".
Which one should you use?
You may see the phrase objetos perdidos y encontrados, which is a literal translation of "lost and found objects", but the shorter objetos perdidos is much more common in practice.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you want to refer to the specific office or department, it is common to use the prepositional phrase oficina de objetos perdidos.
How do you pronounce it?
/obxetos peɾdidos/
Did you know?
- If you are searching for a missing person, you cannot use perdido. Instead, you would use desaparecido, a term with deep political and social significance in Latin American history.
- The word objeto in objetos perdidos shares the same Latin root as the English word 'objection'. Both come from 'obiectum', which describes something thrown in the way.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, signs for the lost and found use the word extraviados instead of perdidos. This term literally suggests that the object has 'wandered away from the path'.
Examples in context
- ¿Dónde está "objetos perdidos"?Where is the lost and found?This sentence is useful for asking for the location of the lost and found using objetos perdidos.Tatoeba #1001451 by Shishir, translation #28122 by CK
- ¿Dónde está la oficina de objetos perdidos más cercana?Where is the nearest lost and found?This sentence is useful for asking for the nearest lost and found office using objetos perdidos.Tatoeba #857793 by ildefonk, translation #27267 by CK
- La sección de objetos perdidos.The lost and found section.This sentence is useful for identifying a specific section for lost and found using objetos perdidos.Tatoeba #462773 by lukaszpp, translation #462772 by lukaszpp
- ¿Me puede ayudar? He perdido mi bolso.Can you help me? I have lost my bag.
- ¿Hay una oficina de objetos perdidos cerca de aquí?Is there a lost and found office nearby?
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are at a shopping mall after losing a bag.
- AlejandroSofía, ¿viste mi bolso?Sofía, did you see my bag?
- SofíaNo, pero podemos ir a objetos perdidos.No, but we can go to lost and found.
- AlejandroEs buena idea, iré a objetos perdidos ahora.That is a good idea, I will go to lost and found now.
- SofíaEspero que lo encuentren allí.I hope they find it there.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lost and found” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
