The wallet on the bench

The idea

The sequence matters: Mika finds the wallet but cannot identify its owner. At the station office, the man describes its color and contents; only after his answers match does he receive it. The form ～ものの marks a contrast: she wanted to return it, but did not know whose it was.

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Examples

• 帰かえり道みち、ミカさんは駅えきのベンチで財布さいふを見みつけました。On her way home, Mika found a wallet on a station bench.
• 返かえしたいと思おもったものの、だれのものかわかりませんでした。She wanted to return it, but did not know whose it was.
• 駅えきの事務室じむしつに届とどけて、どこで見みつけたか説明せつめいしました。She took it to the station office and explained where she had found it.
• しばらくすると、財布さいふを探さがしている男性だんせいが来きました。A little later, a man came looking for a wallet.
• 係員かかりいんが色いろと中身なかみを尋たずねると、男性だんせいの答こたえは一致いっちしました。The employee asked about its color and contents, and his answers matched.
• 財布さいふを受うけ取とった男性だんせいは、ほっとしてミカさんにお礼れいを言いいました。After receiving the wallet, the man thanked Mika with relief.

Watch out

Do not assume the first person looking for a wallet is automatically its owner. The matching details are the clue that supports the outcome.

Try it yourself

1. 財布さいふはどこで見みつかりましたか。（駅えきのベンチ／事務室じむしつ）

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   駅のベンチ / えきのベンチ

   Mika found it on a station bench, not at the station office.

2. ミカさんは財布さいふをどこに届とどけましたか。（駅えきの事務室じむしつ／家いえ）

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   駅の事務室 / えきのじむしつ

   She took it to the station office because she did not know whose wallet it was.

3. 男性だんせいの何なにが一致いっちしましたか。（答こたえ／名前なまえ）

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   答え / こたえ

   The man’s descriptions of the color and contents matched, so the employee could identify him as the owner.

Use it today

Retell the problem, the verification and the ending in your own words, using some Japanese.