Question
I’m on a business trip in Tokyo and I’m about to attend a meeting, but I left my meeting documents in the taxi. How do I ask the taxi company if they found my documents in Japanese?
Japango Editor Team
タクシーの中に私の書類（しょるい）がありましたか？
Takushii no naka ni watashi no shorui ga arimashitaka?
Did you find my documents in the taxi?
This is a crucial question to ask when you’ve forgotten something in a taxi in Japan. Here, “takushii” means “taxi,” “naka” means “inside,” and “watashi no shorui” translates to “my documents.” “Arimashitaka?” is the polite past form of the verb “aru” (to be/exists), used for objects, and it means “was there?” or “did you find?” You can replace “watashi no shorui” with any objects you’ve left behind, such as “kaban” (bag) or “saifu” (wallet), to specify the item you’re looking for. This expression will be handy in stressful situations. Remember to stay calm and clearly describe your lost item. Good luck with your meeting!
