Report (part 1 of 3)

The moment you realize your wallet is gone, you need the words immediately. This part of the conversation puts you at a hotel front desk in Latin America, explaining what disappeared and answering the questions any receptionist has to ask before anyone can start looking for it.

You work through the opening of a real report: greeting the receptionist, saying what went missing with Perdí mi billetera, and then narrowing things down. Expect to be asked ¿Dónde la perdió? and ¿Cuándo la vio por última vez?, and to answer with a place and a moment, such as Esta mañana, durante el desayuno. There is also the practical business of confirming that you are staying at the hotel and giving your room number, which staff usually need before they can do anything at all. The register stays formal on both sides, so you are hearing and using usted the way you would with any stranger who is helping you. These phrases carry straight over to a restaurant, a museum, a bus terminal, or anywhere else you have to explain that something of yours has vanished.