Spanish Phrase
La oficina de objetos perdidos está por aquí cerca.
Meaning
This sentence tells someone that the lost‑and‑found office is close by, literally ‘the lost‑and‑found office is around here nearby.’ It combines a specific location (la oficina de objetos perdidos) with the colloquial spatial phrase por aquí cerca. The phrase is useful when giving directions inside public buildings such as airports, train stations, or universities.
When to use
Use this phrase when a visitor asks where they can retrieve a lost item, or when you need to point out the location of the lost‑and‑found desk in a mall, museum, or any large facility. It works in both formal and informal contexts, though the idiom por aquí cerca leans toward a friendly tone.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Laoficinadeobjetosperdidosestáporaquícerca
Definite article agreement
La matches the feminine singular noun oficina; articles must agree in gender and number.
Noun phrase with 'de'
de objetos perdidos creates a descriptive phrase (office of lost items).
Ser vs. estar for location
Use estar to talk about where something is physically located.
Por aquí cerca
The idiomatic expression por aquí cerca means ‘nearby, around here’ and is more colloquial than simplemente cerca.
🗨In Conversation
¿Dónde está la oficina de objetos perdidos?
Where is the lost‑and‑found office?
La oficina de objetos perdidos está por aquí cerca.
The lost‑and‑found office is nearby.
✕Common Mistakes
La oficina de objetos perdidos está aquí cerca.
The correct idiom is por aquí cerca; ‘aquí cerca’ sounds unnatural.
La oficina de objetos perdidos está cerca aquí.
Word order matters; place the adverbial phrase after the verb.
La oficina de objeto perdido está por aquí cerca.
‘Objetos perdidos’ must stay plural; using singular changes the meaning.
↔Alternatives
La oficina de objetos perdidos está cerca de aquí.
The lost‑and‑found office is close to here.
Puedes encontrar la oficina de objetos perdidos por aquí.
You can find the lost‑and‑found office around here.
La oficina de objetos perdidos está a la vuelta.
The lost‑and‑found office is just around the corner.
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking countries the lost‑and‑found desk is called ‘oficina de objetos perdidos’ or simply ‘objeto perdido.’ Signage often uses the abbreviation ‘Objetos perdidos.’ When speaking to staff, a polite tone (using usted) is preferred in formal settings like airports, while tú is fine in casual environments such as a university campus.