Learn Hardcore French: Marie ne cherche pas à devenir riche; elle veut simplement être heureuse. - Marie isn’t looking to become rich; she simply wants to be happy.

In French, certain verbs follow a specific pattern. With chercher à + [infinitive], the phrase means “to try to” or “to attempt to” do something. In our sentence, “Marie ne cherche pas à devenir riche” tells us that Marie is not attempting or trying to become rich. The preposition à is required by this verb construction and must always precede the infinitive.

How is the negative structure formed with ne and pas in this sentence?

French uses a two-part negation structure. The word ne is placed immediately before the conjugated verb, while pas follows it. Thus, in “Marie ne cherche pas…”, ne comes before cherche and pas follows, creating the proper negative form equivalent to “does not” in English.

Why does the sentence use a semicolon to separate the two clauses?

The semicolon connects two closely related independent clauses. It shows that while both parts of the sentence could stand alone, they are thematically linked—Marie’s decision not to pursue wealth is directly contrasted with her simple wish to be happy. This punctuation emphasizes that her focus is entirely on happiness.

What is the function of simplement in “elle veut simplement être heureuse”?

The adverb simplement translates to “simply” or “just.” It highlights that Marie’s sole aim is to be happy, without any added complications or additional objectives. It stresses the straightforwardness and clarity of her desire.

Why is the adjective heureuse written in its feminine form?

In French, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe. Because Marie is a female name, the adjective takes the feminine form heureuse to match her gender, ensuring grammatical agreement.

How does saying “ne cherche pas à devenir riche” differ from a sentence like “ne devient pas riche”?

“Ne cherche pas à devenir riche” emphasizes Marie’s action—specifically, that she is not making an effort or taking steps to become rich. In contrast, “ne devient pas riche” would merely state that she isn’t becoming rich as a result, without conveying her deliberate avoidance of that goal. The original phrasing conveys that she actively chooses not to pursue wealth.