Learn Hardcore French: Elle est en train de chercher la pharmacie au coin de la rue. - She is looking for the pharmacy at the corner of the street.

It emphasizes that the action is happening right now, in progress. French can express this with the simple present alone, but être en train de + infinitive highlights the ongoing nature, like English continuous.

Can I just say Elle cherche la pharmacie au coin de la rue?

Yes. The simple present often covers the English continuous. Elle cherche... is the most common everyday form; Elle est en train de chercher... adds extra focus on the action being in progress.

Why is there de before chercher?

Because the structure is être en train de + infinitive. The preposition de is fixed in this construction: être en train de faire, de manger, de chercher, etc.

Where does the negation go with this construction?

Around the conjugated verb:

Elle n’est pas en train de chercher la pharmacie... With the simple present:
Elle ne cherche pas la pharmacie...

Why is it la pharmacie and not une pharmacie?

La suggests a specific pharmacy known from context, namely the one at the street corner. If you mean any pharmacy, say une pharmacie. You can also specify the exact one with a relative clause: la pharmacie qui est au coin de la rue.

Does au coin de la rue describe where she is searching, or which pharmacy she wants?

It can do either, and the sentence is ambiguous out of context:

Place of the search: She is searching at the street corner.
Identity of the pharmacy: She is looking for the pharmacy that is at the street corner. To disambiguate:
Place of search: Elle est au coin de la rue, en train de chercher la pharmacie.
Identity of pharmacy: Elle cherche la pharmacie qui est au coin de la rue.

How can I replace la pharmacie with a pronoun?

Use la (direct object, feminine singular):

Elle est en train de la chercher. With the simple present:
Elle la cherche.

How can I replace au coin de la rue with a pronoun?

Use y for locations introduced by à/au:

If it’s the place of the search: Elle est en train d’y chercher la pharmacie.
With simple present: Elle y cherche la pharmacie.

Can I combine the object pronoun and y?

Yes, but it often sounds heavy. In principle: Elle est en train de l’y chercher (she’s looking for it there). In practice, French speakers prefer: Elle la cherche au coin de la rue or Elle l’y cherche only if context forces it. Avoid stacking unless necessary.

Why au and not à le?

Au is the contraction of à + le. We say au coin because coin is masculine. Similarly, de la rue uses de la because rue is feminine. Other useful contractions: du = de + le, des = de + les.

Is chercher pour correct for “to look for”?

No. Chercher already includes the idea of “for.” Say chercher quelque chose, not chercher pour quelque chose.

What are natural alternatives to au coin de la rue?

à l’angle de la rue (more formal/literal: at the corner)
la pharmacie du coin (the neighborhood/local pharmacy; idiomatic)
dans le coin (nearby/in the area), e.g., une pharmacie dans le coin

Can I change the word order of the location phrase?

Yes, for emphasis or clarity:

Au coin de la rue, elle est en train de chercher la pharmacie.
Elle cherche la pharmacie au coin de la rue (neutral). French prefers shorter, clearer endings; avoid splitting the object: Elle est en train de chercher la pharmacie au coin de la rue is better than moving the phrase into the middle.

How do I turn this into a question?

Three common ways:

Intonation: Elle est en train de chercher la pharmacie au coin de la rue ?
Est-ce que: Est-ce qu’elle est en train de chercher la pharmacie au coin de la rue ?
Inversion (more formal): Est-elle en train de chercher la pharmacie au coin de la rue ?

Any pronunciation tips?

Liaison: elle est en links with a soft t sound: [ɛl‿ɛ t‿ɑ̃].
au is [o]; coin is nasal [kwɛ̃]; rue has the French r and u: [ʁy].
Don’t pronounce a final consonant unless liaison requires it; say [ʃɛʁʃe] for chercher.

Can I use this structure with all verbs?

Almost any action verb works: être en train de manger/faire/chercher. It’s unusual with stative verbs like savoir, penser, aimer; prefer the simple present for those.