Je cherche
In French, "I am looking for" is expressed as Je cherche.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of Je (I) and cherche (the first-person singular conjugation of the verb chercher, meaning to look for or to search).
How does it change in a sentence?
The French present tense used in Je cherche covers both the continuous aspect "I am looking for" and the simple aspect "I look for".
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying Je cherche pour. English speakers often mistakenly add the preposition pour (for) after cherche, but in French, the verb chercher is transitive and directly takes the object without a preposition.
Did you know?
- The verb chercher is used in the expression chercher la petite bête, which literally means 'looking for the little beast' but actually describes someone who is nitpicking or looking for a tiny, irrelevant flaw.
- In French, the verb chercher can be used to mean 'to pick up'. For example, Je vais te chercher means 'I am coming to get you' rather than simply searching for your location.
- While chercher means 'to look for', the noun for a 'search' in a legal or police context is often perquisition, showing a sharp divide between casual looking and formal searching.
Examples in context
- Je cherche mon chat.I am looking for my cat.This sentence is useful for using Je cherche to find a pet.Tatoeba #8833866 by felix63, translation #10629320 by Adelpa
- Je cherche un emploi.I am looking for a job.This sentence is useful for using Je cherche to express a job search.Tatoeba #1199178 by sacredceltic, translation #6097958 by almer
- Je cherche mon chien.I am looking for my dog.Tatoeba #7745892 by lbdx, translation #9634656 by abburns
- Je recherche un nouvel emploi.I am looking for a new job.
- Je recherche un appartement à louer.I am looking for an apartment to rent.
- Je suis à la recherche d'une nouvelle opportunité professionnelle.I am looking for a new professional opportunity.
- Je suis à la recherche d'un livre intéressant à lire.I am looking for an interesting book to read.
- Je cherche un bon restaurant dans cette ville.I am looking for a good restaurant in this city.
- Je cherche une nouvelle série à regarder.I am looking for a new series to watch.
- Je suis en quête d'aventures passionnantes.I am looking for exciting adventures.
- Je suis en quête d'un peu de tranquillité.I am looking for some peace and quiet.
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa is in a bookstore and Nathan is the employee.
- LéaBonjour, je cherche un livre sur Paris.Hello, I am looking for a book about Paris.
- NathanC'est dans le rayon voyage, juste là.It is in the travel section, right there.
- LéaMerci, je cherche l'édition avec des photos.Thank you, I am looking for the edition with photos.
- NathanJe vais vous aider à le trouver.I will help you find it.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
