Learn French: D'abord, nous cherchons du bois. - First, we look for some wood.

D'abord, nous cherchons du bois.

First, we look for some wood.

Breakdown of D'abord, nous cherchons du bois.

nous

we / us (object pronoun)

chercher

to look for

some (partitive, masculine)

d'abord

first, first of all

Questions & Answers about D'abord, nous cherchons du bois.

What does d'abord literally mean, and why does it have an apostrophe?

D'abord is a fixed phrase that comes from combining de (of/from) and abord (approach or edge). Literally meaning 'from the approach,' it translates to 'first' or 'first of all.' As a sequential connector, it is used to introduce the very first step in a series of events.

Do I always need to put a comma after D'abord?

Yes, it is highly recommended. When you use sequence words like d'abord (first), ensuite (next), or enfin (finally) at the beginning of a sentence, you usually follow them with a comma to set the stage for the main action.

Why is there no French word for 'for' in nous cherchons?

The French verb chercher already means 'to look for' or 'to search for.' A very common mistake for English speakers is trying to add pour (for) after it. Just place the object right after the verb: chercher du bois (to look for wood).

Why is it du bois instead of just bois?

In English, we can just say 'we look for wood,' but in French, you almost always need an article before a noun. Because wood is an uncountable quantity here ('some' wood), we use the partitive article du (which is a combination of de + le for a masculine noun).