German · Everyday Verbs
"to look for" in German: suchen
suchen
To look for in German is suchen. Say Ich suche meine Brille when you are hunting for something. Past participle is gesucht.
At home
Ich suche meinen Schal seit zehn Minuten.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce suchen
Say it
ZOO-khen
/ˈzuːxn̩/
ZOO-khen. Soft ch as in ich. Soft -en.
"to look for" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| suchen | to look for / seek Core verb. | Core verb. |
| ich suche / du suchst | I/you look for Present. | Present. |
| gesucht | looked for Past participle. | Past participle. |
| jemanden suchen | to look for someone People. | People. |
How to use suchen in real life
- 1At home
Ich suche meinen Schal seit zehn Minuten.
I've been looking for my scarf for ten minutes.
Ich suche + object.
- 2Shop
Suchen Sie etwas Bestimmtes?
Are you looking for something specific?
Sie form in shops.
- 3Done searching
Wir haben überall gesucht.
We looked everywhere.
Gesucht.
Mistakes English speakers make with suchen
Incorrect: Ich suche für meine Schlüssel.
Correct: Ich suche meine Schlüssel.
Suchen takes a direct object, not für.
Incorrect: Ich habe gesucht meine Jacke.
Correct: Ich habe meine Jacke gesucht.
Participle goes to the end.
Good to know
Shop staff often open with Suchen Sie etwas? It is friendly, not pushy. Online, gesucht appears in classified ads when someone wants an item.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Missing headphones before leaving
ChatPal
Was suchst du unter dem Sofa?
What are you looking for under the sofa?
You
Ich suche meine Kopfhörer. Wieder weg.
I'm looking for my headphones. Gone again.
ChatPal
Ich suche in der Jackentasche. Moment.
I'll look in the jacket pocket. One sec.
You
Danke. Sonst komme ich zu spät.
Thanks. Otherwise I'll be late.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to look for" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to look for" in German
How do you conjugate suchen?
Ich suche, du suchst, er sucht; past participle gesucht.
I'm looking for…?
Ich suche …
Look for with für?
No—suchen takes a direct object.
We looked?
Wir haben gesucht.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
