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FRENCH VERB

chercher

to look for

  • #34 most used
  • Regular -er verb
  • Past participle: cherché
  • Present participle: cherchant

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present

Présent · now, habits and facts

  1. je I look for
  2. tu you look for
  3. il, elle, on he/she looks for
  4. nous we look for
  5. vous you look for
  6. ils, elles they look for

Past

Passé composé · finished actions

  1. je I looked for
  2. tu you looked for
  3. il, elle, on he/she looked for
  4. nous we looked for
  5. vous you looked for
  6. ils, elles they looked for

Imperfect

Imparfait · “used to” and “was …ing”

  1. je I used to look for
  2. tu you used to look for
  3. il, elle, on he/she used to look for
  4. nous we used to look for
  5. vous you used to look for
  6. ils, elles they used to look for

Future

Futur simple · plans; in speech, “je vais parler” is just as common

  1. je I will look for
  2. tu you will look for
  3. il, elle, on he/she will look for
  4. nous we will look for
  5. vous you will look for
  6. ils, elles they will look for

Conditional

Conditionnel · “would”, polite requests

  1. je I would look for
  2. tu you would look for
  3. il, elle, on he/she would look for
  4. nous we would look for
  5. vous you would look for
  6. ils, elles they would look for

Present subjunctive

Subjonctif présent · wishes, doubts, “il faut que …”

  1. je (that) I look for
  2. tu (that) you look for
  3. il, elle, on (that) he/she look for
  4. nous (that) we look for
  5. vous (that) you look for
  6. ils, elles (that) they look for

Imperative

Impératif · requests and orders

  1. tu look for!
  2. nous look for! (let’s)
  3. vous look for! (plural, or formal)

How to use chercher

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present

    Je cherche la rue de la Paix.

    I'm looking for rue de la Paix.

  2. Past

    J'ai cherché mes clés partout.

    I looked for my keys everywhere.

  3. Imperfect

    On cherchait un appartement depuis des mois.

    We'd been looking for a flat for months.

  4. Future

    Je chercherai un hôtel près du centre.

    I'll look for a hotel near the centre.

  5. Conditional

    À ta place, je chercherais un autre travail.

    In your place, I'd look for another job.

  6. Present subjunctive

    Il faut qu'on cherche une solution ensemble.

    We need to look for a solution together.

  7. Imperative

    Cherche dans ton sac, elles y sont peut-être.

    Look in your bag, they might be there.

Good to know

  • Chercher already means to look for, with nothing after it. Aller chercher is to go and get.

Where you hear chercher

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

French · Beginner Level 1

  • Je cherche un cadeau. I'm looking for a present.
  • J'ai cherché ma clé partout. I looked for my key everywhere.
  • Je vais chercher du travail. I'm going to look for work.

French · Beginner Level 2

  • Je cherche un cadeau. I'm looking for a present.
  • J'ai cherché ma clé partout. I looked for my key everywhere.
  • Je vais chercher du travail. I'm going to look for work.
24
A Present for Chloe

Beginner Level 1 · je cherche · vous cherchez · tu cherches

Needs a subscription 30
I'm Staying!

Beginner Level 1 · chercher

Needs a subscription 2
The Interview

Beginner Level 2 · nous cherchons · ils cherchent

Free 5
A Studio to Rent

Beginner Level 2 · vous cherchez

Needs a subscription 15
By Bike

Beginner Level 2 · j'ai cherché

Needs a subscription

Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: regular -er verb.