chercher/ʃɛʁ.ʃe/
verb · A2 · Frequency 205
verb
Meanings
to look for; to seek
The basic sense, taking a person or thing as its object.
to try; to seek to do something
Common in chercher a + infinitive.
to provoke; to ask for trouble
An informal or slang sense.
to pick up; to go and get
Emphasizes going somewhere to bring back a person or thing.
to search for oneself; to find one's identity
Reflexive use, referring to a search for identity or direction.
to look for one another
Reflexive reciprocal use, meaning that two or more people are looking for each other.
Examples
Je vais chercher mes clés dans le salon.
I am going to look for my keys in the living room.
Elle veut chercher une solution avant de répondre.
She wants to seek a solution before answering.
Tu ne devrais pas chercher les ennuis avec ce voisin.
You should not ask for trouble with that neighbor.
Je dois chercher les enfants à la sortie de l'école.
I have to pick up the children at the school entrance.
Collocations
- chercher un objetto look for an object
- chercher à comprendreto try to understand
- chercher quelqu'unto go and get someone
Common mistakes
Je le ne cherche pas dans la boîte.
Je ne le cherche pas dans la boîte.
With chercher and a direct-object pronoun, the pronoun comes before the conjugated verb; in the negative, the order is ne + pronoun + chercher + pas.
Related words
synonymrechercherto search for, seek, to look for
Grammar note
Chercher can be used transitively with a direct object or pronominally to express reciprocal action; its compound tenses can be formed with either avoir or être as auxiliary.
verb
Meanings
to look for; to seek
The basic sense, taking a person or thing as its object.
to try; to seek to do something
Common in chercher a + infinitive.
to provoke; to ask for trouble
An informal or slang sense.
to pick up; to go and get
Emphasizes going somewhere to bring back a person or thing.
to search for oneself; to find one's identity
Reflexive use, referring to a search for identity or direction.
to look for one another
Reflexive reciprocal use, meaning that two or more people are looking for each other.
Examples
Cherchant une solution simple, elle a consulté le manuel.
Looking for a simple solution, she consulted the manual.
Cherchant à gagner du temps, nous avons préparé les documents la veille.
Trying to save time, we prepared the documents the day before.
Cherchant la dispute, il a insulté le voisin devant tout le monde.
Looking for trouble, he insulted the neighbor in front of everyone.
Cherchant son fils à la sortie, le père a attendu près du portail.
The father waited near the gate while going to pick up his son.
Grammar note
Chercher can be used transitively with a direct object or pronominally to express reciprocal action; its compound tenses can be formed with either avoir or être as auxiliary.
verb
Meanings
to look for; to seek
The basic sense, taking a person or thing as its object.
to try; to seek to do something
Common in chercher a + infinitive.
to provoke; to ask for trouble
An informal or slang sense.
to pick up; to go and get
Emphasizes going somewhere to bring back a person or thing.
to search for oneself; to find one's identity
Reflexive use, referring to a search for identity or direction.
to look for one another
Reflexive reciprocal use, meaning that two or more people are looking for each other.
Examples
J'ai cherché mes clés dans toute la maison.
I looked for my keys throughout the house.
Elle a cherché à comprendre la décision du comité.
She tried to understand the committee's decision.
Il a cherché son frère en le critiquant devant tout le monde.
He provoked his brother by criticizing him in front of everyone.
Nous avons cherché les enfants à la sortie de l'école.
We went to pick up the children at the school gate.
Grammar note
Chercher can be used transitively with a direct object or pronominally to express reciprocal action; its compound tenses can be formed with either avoir or être as auxiliary.
verb
Meanings
to look for; to seek
The basic sense, taking a person or thing as its object.
to try; to seek to do something
Common in chercher a + infinitive.
to provoke; to ask for trouble
An informal or slang sense.
to pick up; to go and get
Emphasizes going somewhere to bring back a person or thing.
to search for oneself; to find one's identity
Reflexive use, referring to a search for identity or direction.
to look for one another
Reflexive reciprocal use, meaning that two or more people are looking for each other.
Examples
Elle cherche ses lunettes depuis ce matin.
She has been looking for her glasses since this morning.
Il cherche à comprendre la décision du comité.
He is trying to understand the committee's decision.
Tu cherche les ennuis en parlant ainsi à ton patron.
You are asking for trouble by speaking to your boss like that.
Je cherche les enfants à l'école à dix-sept heures.
I pick up the children from school at five o'clock.
Collocations
- chercher un objetto look for an object
- chercher à comprendreto try to understand
- chercher quelqu'unto go and get someone
Common mistakes
Je le ne cherche pas dans la boîte.
Je ne le cherche pas dans la boîte.
With chercher and a direct-object pronoun, the pronoun comes before the conjugated verb; in the negative, the order is ne + pronoun + chercher + pas.
Related words
synonymrechercherto search for, seek, to look for
Grammar note
Chercher can be used transitively with a direct object or pronominally to express reciprocal action; its compound tenses can be formed with either avoir or être as auxiliary.
verb
Meanings
to look for; to seek
The basic sense, taking a person or thing as its object.
to try; to seek to do something
Common in chercher a + infinitive.
to provoke; to ask for trouble
An informal or slang sense.
to pick up; to go and get
Emphasizes going somewhere to bring back a person or thing.
to search for oneself; to find one's identity
Reflexive use, referring to a search for identity or direction.
to look for one another
Reflexive reciprocal use, meaning that two or more people are looking for each other.
Examples
Tu cherches tes clés depuis dix minutes.
You have been looking for your keys for ten minutes.
Tu cherches à comprendre ce qui s'est passé.
You are trying to understand what happened.
Tu cherches vraiment les ennuis en conduisant si vite.
You are really asking for trouble by driving so fast.
Tu cherches les enfants à l'école après ton travail.
You pick up the children at school after work.
Grammar note
Chercher can be used transitively with a direct object or pronominally to express reciprocal action; its compound tenses can be formed with either avoir or être as auxiliary.