Spanish word

encontrar

Pronunciation

IPA/eŋkonˈtɾaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbfind

Example

¿Has encontrado las llaves?

Have you found the keys?

Illustration for encontrar (find)

More examples

Por fin encontró trabajo después de varios meses.

He finally found work after several months.

Core concept

Magnifying glass over a small object on a tabletop.

Common phrases

  • encontrar algo

    find something

  • encontrar a alguien

    find someone

  • encontrar trabajo

    find work

Similar words

buscar: Actively searches for something in order to locate it.
encontrarse: Meets someone by chance.
localizar: Determines the exact location of a person or thing.
recuperar: Recovers something that was lost or taken.

Definition in Spanish

Significa hallar o localizar algo o a alguien; también puede indicar encontrarse por casualidad con alguien y expresar una valoración con encontrar + adjetivo.

Word origin

Derived from medieval Latin incontrare (in- + contra) originally meaning 'to meet', and Spanish extended the word to mean 'find' or 'discover'.

Usage tips

  • In evaluative constructions the person judged is the direct object and the speaker is the implied subject, as in 'La encuentro simpática' = 'I find her pleasant'.

Other meanings

  • meetverb
  • thinkverb
  • run intoverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word