Vocabulary

Level: A1
Accent: 1 accent
Time: 15 min

Learn French: Asking for Everyday Items with Je cherche and Avez-vous

By MicroFrench editorial team Published 17 Oct 2026

The short answer

Je cherche literally means I am looking for or I am searching for. Speakers use it to name the product, counter, or section they want to find. Avez-vous is the inverted question form of you have (formal or plural), used to ask directly whether the listener or establishment possesses or stocks an item.

Key points

Neither phrase is confined to a single rigid script: je cherche often leads to location guidance, while avez-vous directly checks possession or current supply.
Use je cherche when you want to name the item, section, or service you are trying to find.
Use avez-vous when you want to ask directly whether a person or business has that item.

This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.

Start the lesson

Stage 1 of 5

Understand

What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.

Examples

Bonjour, je cherche un carnet de notes et un stylo bleu.

Hello, I am looking for a notebook and a blue pen.

Why it works: States what stationery supplies you want to locate.

2 more examples

Excusez-moi madame, avez-vous des piles pour cette montre ?

Excuse me, do you have batteries for this watch?

Inquires whether the shop carries specific watch batteries.
Pardon, je cherche les toilettes de la gare, s'il vous plaît.

Excuse me, I am looking for the station restrooms, please.

Asks for directions to a station facility using je cherche.

Read the full guide

8 short steps, one check each

Stating what you are seeking with je cherche

Learners often need a clear way to state what item or section they are trying to find in a store or station.

The problem: Learners often need a clear way to state what item or section they are trying to find in a store or station.

When entering a shop or service area, greeting staff with bonjour is a common polite opening. Following this greeting with je cherche allows you to state clearly what item or department you want to locate.

Bonjour, je cherche le rayon des boissons.

Hello, I am looking for the beverage aisle.

Why it works: Je cherche states what section of the store you are trying to find.
Bonjour, je cherche un plan de la ville.

Hello, I am looking for a city map.

Why it works: Je cherche introduces the specific item you want to locate.

Your turn

Choose the sentence where a traveller states that they are looking for the station ticket sales counter.

Show the answer

Answer: Bonjour, je cherche le guichet de vente des billets.

Je cherche expresses that the speaker is looking for the ticket sales desk.

Inquiring about availability with avez-vous

Learners sometimes explain they are searching for something when they actually want to confirm if the business stocks it.

The problem: Learners sometimes explain they are searching for something when they actually want to confirm if the business stocks it.

When you want to know whether a merchant carries an item or has it available right now, use the question form avez-vous followed by the noun.

Bonjour madame, avez-vous des timbres ?

Hello, do you have stamps?

Why it works: Avez-vous asks the clerk directly whether the shop has stamps in stock.
Pardon monsieur, avez-vous du café en grains dans votre épicerie ?

Excuse me sir, do you have coffee beans in your grocery store?

Why it works: Avez-vous checks whether the grocery store stocks coffee beans.

Your turn

Which option asks a baker directly whether they have croissants available?

Show the answer

Answer: Avez-vous des croissants ?

Avez-vous des croissants asks directly whether the bakery has croissants in stock.

Using indefinite articles un and une with je cherche

Learners are often unsure which article to place after je cherche when looking for a general countable item.

The problem: Learners are often unsure which article to place after je cherche when looking for a general countable item.

When you are looking for an unspecified single item, such as any pen or any water bottle, use the indefinite article that matches the grammatical gender of the noun: un for masculine nouns and une for feminine nouns.

Je cherche un stylo noir pour écrire une adresse.

I am looking for a black pen to write an address.

Why it works: Stylo is masculine singular, so it takes the indefinite article un.
Je cherche une bouteille d'eau, s'il vous plaît.

I am looking for a bottle of water, please.

Why it works: Bouteille is feminine singular, so it takes the indefinite article une.

Your turn

Choose the sentence where someone looks for any general pen rather than a previously identified pen.

Show the answer

Answer: Je cherche un stylo.

Un stylo uses the indefinite article un to indicate any general pen.

Using definite articles le, la, and l' with je cherche

Learners sometimes struggle with when to switch from un/une to definite articles like le or la.

The problem: Learners sometimes struggle with when to switch from un/une to definite articles like le or la.

Use definite articles such as le, la, or l' when referring to a known, specific destination, an established department, or an identified facility within a building.

Pardon, je cherche la sortie de la gare.

Excuse me, I am looking for the station exit.

Why it works: La sortie uses the definite article to refer to the exit of this station.
Bonjour, je cherche l'ascenseur pour monter au deuxième étage.

Hello, I am looking for the elevator to go up to the second floor.

Why it works: L'ascenseur uses the elided definite article l' before a vowel sound.

Your turn

Which sentence refers to looking for the main pharmacy of the airport rather than an unspecified one?

Show the answer

Answer: Je cherche la pharmacie de l'aéroport.

La pharmacie uses the definite article la to refer to the identified pharmacy of the airport.

Asking for mass goods with partitive articles du and de la

When asking about non-countable food or goods, learners often forget which article to use after avez-vous or je cherche.

The problem: When asking about non-countable food or goods, learners often forget which article to use after avez-vous or je cherche.

When inquiring about bulk goods, mass foods, or substances that are not counted individually, French uses partitive articles: du for masculine nouns, de la for feminine nouns, and de l' before a vowel sound.

Bonjour, avez-vous du pain frais ce matin ?

Hello, do you have fresh bread this morning?

Why it works: Du pain uses the masculine partitive article du for the non-countable substance bread.
Je cherche de la farine de blé pour faire un gâteau.

I am looking for wheat flour to make a cake.

Why it works: De la farine uses the feminine partitive article de la for flour.

Your turn

Which sentence asks a merchant if they have milk in stock?

Show the answer

Answer: Avez-vous du lait ?

Du lait uses the masculine partitive article du to ask about milk as a non-countable product.

Inquiring about plural goods with des

English speakers often ask questions like Do you have stamps? without an article and omit the required plural article in French.

The problem: English speakers often ask questions like Do you have stamps? without an article and omit the required plural article in French.

When inquiring whether a seller has an unspecified quantity of plural countable items, use the plural article des before the noun.

Avez-vous des pommes rouges aujourd'hui ?

Do you have red apples today?

Why it works: Des is used before the plural noun pommes to refer to an unspecified quantity of apples.
Avez-vous des enveloppes blanches ?

Do you have white envelopes?

Why it works: Des precedes the plural noun enveloppes in an availability question.

Your turn

Select the sentence that asks a clerk if they have bandages in stock without specifying a particular pre-identified box.

Show the answer

Answer: Avez-vous des pansements ?

Des pansements is the standard phrasing when asking about an open, unspecified supply of bandages.

Combining courtesy openers and closing markers

Learners often want to know how to open and close their requests politely in everyday service interactions.

The problem: Learners often want to know how to open and close their requests politely in everyday service interactions.

Polite words such as excusez-moi and pardon help you get someone's attention respectfully before stating what you seek. Concluding your sentence with s'il vous plaît finishes the request in a friendly, courteous manner.

Pardon, je cherche la pharmacie la plus proche.

Excuse me, I am looking for the nearest pharmacy.

Why it works: Pardon politely catches the listener's attention before stating what you seek.
Avez-vous ce modèle en bleu, s'il vous plaît ?

Do you have this model in blue, please?

Why it works: S'il vous plaît concludes the availability request politely.

Your turn

Which sentence includes both a polite opening to get attention and a closing courtesy marker?

Show the answer

Answer: Excusez-moi monsieur, avez-vous un sac, s'il vous plaît ?

Excusez-moi monsieur opens respectfully, and s'il vous plaît closes the question politely.

Understanding directions and availability replies from staff

After asking a question, shoppers need to understand whether a clerk is pointing them toward a location or explaining current availability.

The problem: After asking a question, shoppers need to understand whether a clerk is pointing them toward a location or explaining current availability.

Clerks often reply to je cherche by giving directions, such as pointing to the back of the store with c'est au fond du magasin. When responding to avez-vous, if a specific model or product is currently out of stock, they might say nous n'avons plus ce modèle, indicating that this model is no longer available right now.

Oui, c'est au fond du magasin, après la boulangerie.

Yes, it is at the back of the store, past the bakery.

Why it works: Au fond du magasin indicates that the item is located toward the rear of the shop.
Désolé monsieur, nous n'avons plus ce modèle en rayon.

Sorry sir, we no longer have this model on the shelf.

Why it works: Nous n'avons plus ce modèle indicates that this particular model is currently unavailable.

Your turn

A customer asks where a section is. Which clerk response indicates that it is at the back of the store on the right?

Show the answer

Answer: C'est au fond du magasin à droite.

C'est au fond du magasin à droite directly directs the shopper to the rear right of the store.

Before you go

Remember this

Use je cherche when you want to name the item, section, or service you are trying to find. Use avez-vous when you want to ask directly whether a person or business has that item. Both expressions are natural in shops, train stations, and service desks, and combining them with everyday courtesy words ensures your requests remain polite and clear.

Stage 2 of 5

Listen

Hear it in real sentences, from short to long, and write what you hear.

0 of 5 done

Listening 1 of 5 10 s Speaking to an agent at the tourist office.