🔍

How to Say ‘I was looking for something’ in French

Je cherchais quelque chose

zhuh shehr-SHEH kel-kuh shohz

[zhuh shehr-SHEH kel-kuh shohz]

💬 Usage Tip: The past form cherchais softens a request, much like English "I was looking for." It sounds less blunt than je cherche "I'm looking for."

Phrase Breakdown

Je cherchais

zhuh shehr-SHEH

I was looking for

The imperfect tense, used here to sound polite. Say 'zhuh shair-SHAY'. Both 'ch' sounds are soft, like 'sh'.

Example

Je cherchais la gare.

I was looking for the station.

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'. In fast speech it often sounds like 'kek-shoz'.

Example

Tu veux quelque chose ?

Do you want 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.

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.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer