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How to Say ‘Actually, I was looking for something a bit bigger.’ in French

En fait, je cherchais quelque chose d'un peu plus grand.

ahn FET zhuh shehr-SHEH kel-kuh shohz dee uhn puh ploo GRAHN

[ahn FET zhuh shehr-SHEH kel-kuh shohz dee uhn puh ploo GRAHN]

💬 Usage Tip: Quelque chose needs de before a describing word, which shrinks to d' before a vowel. So you get quelque chose de chaud "something hot" and quelque chose d'un peu plus grand.

Phrase Breakdown

En fait,

ahn FET

Actually,

Say 'ahn FET'. The final 't' is often pronounced. Pause after it.

Example

En fait, je ne sais pas.

Actually, I don't know.

Words in this phrase

[ahn]

in (part of 'en fait')

Combines with 'fait' to form 'en fait', meaning 'actually'.

Example

En fait, je préfère le thé.

Actually, I prefer tea.

fait

[FET]

fact (in 'en fait')

Here a noun meaning 'fact'; 'en fait' = 'actually, in fact'.

Example

En fait, c'est fermé.

Actually, it's closed.

je cherchais

zhuh shehr-SHEH

I was looking for

A polite imperfect. Say 'zhuh shair-SHAY'.

Example

Je cherchais un cadeau.

I was looking for a gift.

Words in this phrase

[zhuh]

Pronoun used by the speaker to identify themselves.

Example

Je suis content.

I am happy.

cherchais

[shehr-SHEH]

was looking for

Imperfect of 'chercher'; softens a request politely.

Example

Je cherchais une table.

I was looking for a table.

quelque chose

kel-kuh shohz

something

Say 'kel-kuh SHOZ'.

Example

J'ai oublié quelque chose.

I forgot something.

Words in this phrase

quelque

[kel-kuh]

something

Used with 'chose' to mean an unspecified thing.

Example

Quelque plus léger serait peut-être mieux pour le midi.

Something lighter might be better for lunch.

chose

[shohz]

thing

Literally means 'thing'; with 'quelque' it forms the expression 'something'.

Example

Cette chose plaît souvent aux groupes d'entreprise.

This thing often appeals to corporate groups.

d'un peu plus grand.

dee uhn puh ploo GRAHN

a little bigger.

After 'quelque chose', an adjective needs 'de' in front of it. Say 'duhn puh plü GRAHN'.

Example

Je veux quelque chose d'un peu plus simple.

I want something a little simpler.

Words in this phrase

[dee]

Used to indicate possession or connection.

Example

Le livre d'un ami.

The book of a friend.

[uhn]

a / an

An indefinite article used before a masculine singular noun.

Example

Un casque est important pour le roller.

A helmet is important for inline skating.

peu

[puh]

a little

Shows limited ability or a small amount.

Example

Dans « Je sais tourner un peu. », peu nuance la compétence.

In "I can turn a little.", peu softens the level of skill.

plus

[ploo]

Means more; in plus de it means more than.

Example

Dans « Si vous avez plus de quinze minutes de retard. », « plus » marque une quantité supérieure.

In "If you are more than fifteen minutes late.", "plus" marks a greater amount.

grand

[GRAHN]

big / large

Adjective for size; here masculine singular.

Example

Un café plus grand, s'il vous plaît.

A bigger coffee, please.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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