French Phrase
Tu cherches quoi ?
Meaning
Literally ‘You are looking what?’, this is the everyday way to ask someone what they are looking for. It’s short, direct, and carries a friendly, sometimes slightly surprised tone.
When to use
Use it in informal spoken contexts – with friends, classmates, or coworkers you know well. It’s perfect for a quick shop‑assistant query, a peer asking about a project, or a casual conversation on the street.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tucherchesquoi?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends, family, or peers.
Verb conjugation (chercher)
‘Chercher’ is conjugated in the present indicative: ‘je cherche, tu cherches, il/elle cherche…’
Interrogative ‘quoi’ after the verb
In spoken French, the interrogative pronoun ‘quoi’ can be placed after the verb instead of using inversion (e.g., ‘Que cherches‑tu ?’).
No inversion, informal register
Because there is no inversion, the sentence sounds casual; in formal writing you would use ‘Que cherches‑tu ?’ or ‘Qu’est‑ce que tu cherches ?’
🗨In Conversation
Tu cherches quoi ?
What are you looking for?
Je cherche mes clés. Tu les as vues ?
I’m looking for my keys. Have you seen them?
✕Common Mistakes
Tu cherches que ?
‘Que’ is used before the verb in formal questions; after the verb you must use ‘quoi’. ‘Tu cherches que ?’ is ungrammatical.
Qu’est ce que tu cherches ?
The correct spelling is ‘Qu’est‑ce que…’ with an apostrophe after ‘est’.
Tu cherches quoi ?
In spoken French the intonation should rise slightly but stay friendly; a harsh, overly rising tone can sound confrontational.
↔Alternatives
Que cherches‑tu ?
What are you looking for?
Qu’est‑ce que tu cherches ?
What are you looking for?
Tu cherches quoi exactement ?
What exactly are you looking for?
Cultural Tip
The ‘verb + quoi’ construction is typical of spoken French and can sound a bit abrupt if the speaker’s tone is too sharp. In a more polite setting, switch to ‘Qu’est‑ce que tu cherches ?’ or add a softener like ‘Excuse‑moi, tu cherches quoi ?’ to keep the conversation friendly. Also note that in some regions (e.g., Québec) you’ll hear ‘c’est quoi que tu cherches ?’ which adds a filler ‘c’est’ for emphasis.