General "looking for":
* Chercher (pronounced sher-shay) - This is the most common and general way to say "looking for".
* Example: "Je cherche un nouveau travail." (I'm looking for a new job.)
* Rechercher (pronounced ruh-sher-shay) - This is a more formal synonym for "chercher" and is often used in written language.
* Example: "La police recherche un suspect." (The police are looking for a suspect.)
Looking for a specific person or thing:
* Chercher + quelqu'un/quelque chose (pronounced sher-shay kel-kun/kel-kohz)
* Example: "Je cherche quelqu'un pour m'aider." (I'm looking for someone to help me.)
* Être à la recherche de (pronounced eht uh la ruh-sher-sh duh) - This phrase literally means "to be in search of".
* Example: "Je suis à la recherche d'un appartement." (I'm looking for an apartment.)
Looking for something lost:
* Chercher + quelque chose de perdu (pronounced sher-shay kel-kohz duh per-doo)
* Example: "J'ai perdu mes clés, je les cherche partout." (I lost my keys, I'm looking for them everywhere.)
* Rechercher + quelque chose de perdu (pronounced ruh-sher-shay kel-kohz duh per-doo)
* Example: "Elle recherche son chien perdu." (She's looking for her lost dog.)
The best way to choose the correct phrase depends on the specific context and the formality of the situation.