Les gardiens cherchent l'espion discret.

Breakdown of Les gardiens cherchent l'espion discret.

chercher
to look for
l'espion
the spy (m)
discret
discreet
le gardien
the guard

Questions & Answers about Les gardiens cherchent l'espion discret.

Why isn't there a word for "for" after cherchent?
The French verb chercher inherently means "to look for" or "to search for." Because the "for" is already built into the verb's meaning, you do not need to add a preposition. Adding pour after chercher is a very common trap for English speakers, but it is incorrect in French.
Why is the adjective discret placed after the noun l'espion?
In French, the general rule is that descriptive adjectives go directly after the noun. Only a specific, limited list of common adjectives (often memorized using the acronym BANGS for Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness, Size) are placed before the noun. Discret does not fall into those categories, so it follows the standard rule.
Do I pronounce the -ent at the end of cherchent?
No. For all regular verbs, the third-person plural -ent ending is completely silent. You pronounce cherchent exactly the same way you pronounce the singular form cherche.
How would this sentence change if the spy were a woman?
The noun and the adjective would both need to change to their feminine forms. The sentence would become: Les gardiens cherchent l'espionne discrète. Notice how discret adds an -e and a grave accent to become discrète in order to match the feminine noun.

Learn Les gardiens cherchent l'espion discret and more in French

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.

  • ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
  • ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
  • ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free