trouver/tʁu.ve/
verb · A1 · Frequency 117
verb
Meanings
to find; to discover something lost, hidden, or previously unknown
Common use; refers to locating something or discovering it by chance.
to find (something) to be the case; to think or consider (something) so
Used to express an opinion, usually followed by a clause or complement.
to find oneself somewhere; to be located; to be in a certain situation
Common in se trouver; can refer to location or to being in a situation.
to happen to be; to turn out that
Common in il se trouve que; expresses an incidental fact or outcome.
Examples
Pour trouver ses lunettes, Nadia a vidé tout son sac.
To find her glasses, Nadia emptied her entire bag.
Les chercheurs espèrent trouver une solution avant la fin de l'année.
The researchers hope to find a solution before the end of the year.
Je commence à trouver ce logiciel trop compliqué.
I am beginning to find this software too complicated.
Elle finit par trouver cette proposition raisonnable.
She eventually finds this proposal reasonable.
Collocations
- trouver un objetto find an object
- trouver que c'est vraito find that it is true
- se trouver dans une situation difficileto find oneself in a difficult situation
Common mistakes
Je ne trouve le pas.
Je ne le trouve pas.
With the verb trouver, the direct-object pronoun le must come before the conjugated verb, between ne and the verb.
Related words
Grammar note
The verb trouver can use either avoir or être as auxiliary in compound tenses, depending on syntactic structure and meaning; it can be used both as a non-pronominal and pronominal verb.
verb
Meanings
to find; to discover something lost, hidden, or previously unknown
Common use; refers to locating something or discovering it by chance.
to find (something) to be the case; to think or consider (something) so
Used to express an opinion, usually followed by a clause or complement.
to find oneself somewhere; to be located; to be in a certain situation
Common in se trouver; can refer to location or to being in a situation.
to happen to be; to turn out that
Common in il se trouve que; expresses an incidental fact or outcome.
Examples
En trouvant la clé sous le canapé, Léa a pu ouvrir la porte.
By finding the key under the sofa, Lea was able to open the door.
Trouvant ce plan trop risqué, le comité l'a rejeté.
Finding the plan too risky, the committee rejected it.
Trouvant la salle déjà pleine, nous avons attendu dehors.
Finding the room already full, we waited outside.
Grammar note
The verb trouver can use either avoir or être as auxiliary in compound tenses, depending on syntactic structure and meaning; it can be used both as a non-pronominal and pronominal verb.
verb
Meanings
to find; to discover something lost, hidden, or previously unknown
Common use; refers to locating something or discovering it by chance.
to find (something) to be the case; to think or consider (something) so
Used to express an opinion, usually followed by a clause or complement.
to find oneself somewhere; to be located; to be in a certain situation
Common in se trouver; can refer to location or to being in a situation.
to happen to be; to turn out that
Common in il se trouve que; expresses an incidental fact or outcome.
Examples
J'ai trouvé mes clés sous le canapé.
I found my keys under the sofa.
Le chercheur a trouvé une erreur dans les calculs.
The researcher found an error in the calculations.
Nous avons trouvé ce restaurant très agréable.
We found this restaurant very pleasant.
Elle a trouvé la proposition trop coûteuse.
She found the proposal too expensive.
Grammar note
The verb trouver can use either avoir or être as auxiliary in compound tenses, depending on syntactic structure and meaning; it can be used both as a non-pronominal and pronominal verb.
verb
Meanings
to find; to discover something lost, hidden, or previously unknown
Common use; refers to locating something or discovering it by chance.
to find (something) to be the case; to think or consider (something) so
Used to express an opinion, usually followed by a clause or complement.
to find oneself somewhere; to be located; to be in a certain situation
Common in se trouver; can refer to location or to being in a situation.
to happen to be; to turn out that
Common in il se trouve que; expresses an incidental fact or outcome.
Examples
Je trouve enfin mes clés dans le tiroir.
I finally find my keys in the drawer.
Après plusieurs essais, elle trouve la bonne méthode.
After several attempts, she finds the right method.
Je trouve cette proposition raisonnable.
I find this proposal reasonable.
Au fond du couloir, on trouve la salle de réunion.
The meeting room is located at the end of the corridor.
Collocations
- trouver un objetto find an object
- trouver que c'est vraito find that it is true
- se trouver dans une situation difficileto find oneself in a difficult situation
Common mistakes
Je ne trouve le pas.
Je ne le trouve pas.
With the verb trouver, the direct-object pronoun le must come before the conjugated verb, between ne and the verb.
Related words
Grammar note
The verb trouver can use either avoir or être as auxiliary in compound tenses, depending on syntactic structure and meaning; it can be used both as a non-pronominal and pronominal verb.
verb
Meanings
to find; to discover something lost, hidden, or previously unknown
Common use; refers to locating something or discovering it by chance.
to find (something) to be the case; to think or consider (something) so
Used to express an opinion, usually followed by a clause or complement.
to find oneself somewhere; to be located; to be in a certain situation
Common in se trouver; can refer to location or to being in a situation.
to happen to be; to turn out that
Common in il se trouve que; expresses an incidental fact or outcome.
Examples
Tu trouves enfin les clés sous le canapé.
You finally find the keys under the sofa.
Tu trouves ce nouveau règlement beaucoup trop compliqué.
You find this new regulation far too complicated.
Après le déménagement, tu te trouves dans un quartier très calme.
After the move, you find yourself in a very quiet neighborhood.
En vérifiant les comptes, tu te trouves avoir oublié une facture.
While checking the accounts, you happen to find that you have forgotten an invoice.
Collocations
- trouver un objetto find an object
- trouver que c'est vraito find that it is true
- se trouver dans une situation difficileto find oneself in a difficult situation
Common mistakes
Je ne trouve le pas.
Je ne le trouve pas.
With the verb trouver, the direct-object pronoun le must come before the conjugated verb, between ne and the verb.
Related words
Grammar note
The verb trouver can use either avoir or être as auxiliary in compound tenses, depending on syntactic structure and meaning; it can be used both as a non-pronominal and pronominal verb.