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cercare

to search

verb cher-KAH-reh Common

Also means

to try

Usage Note

Cercare means 'to look for' (always with a direct object, never the preposition per: cerco le chiavi, NOT cerco per le chiavi). When followed by di + infinitive it means 'to try': cerco di capire = 'I try to understand.' It takes avere as its auxiliary. The c before a/o/u stays hard; spelling uses ch before e/i (cerchi, cerchiamo).

Examples

"Cerco le chiavi da stamattina."

Natural Translation

I have been looking for the keys since this morning.

Literal Translation

I-search the keys from this-morning

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