What does it mean word for word?
buscando is the gerund form of the verb buscar, which means "to look for" or "to search".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, you may hear the colloquial expression Ando buscando to mean "I am looking for." Additionally, in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, the phrase buscarle la vuelta is used idiomatically to mean "figuring out how to solve this problem."
How does it change in a sentence?
When you are looking for a specific person, you must place the preposition a before the person's name or the pronoun. This is known as the personal 'a'.
How do you pronounce it?
/buskando/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying buscar por. English speakers often mistakenly translate the "for" from "looking for" literally, but the verb buscar already includes the meaning of "for" and does not require an extra preposition.
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, if you are buscando a person and cannot find them, you might say se lo tragó la tierra, meaning 'the earth swallowed them'.
- In Spanish, the verb buscar can mean both 'to look for' and 'to seek', but in some contexts it is used to mean 'to pick someone up' from a location, such as a school or airport.
- While English uses 'search' for both a general quest and a police investigation, Spanish uses buscar for the general act and registrar specifically for searching a physical space or person.
Examples in context
- Sigo buscando a Tom.I'm still looking for Tom.This sentence shows how to use buscando when searching for a person.Tatoeba #3687380 by Shishir, translation #2544667 by CK
- Aún le están buscando.They're still looking for him.This sentence shows how to use buscando to describe an ongoing search for someone.Tatoeba #6669432 by arh, translation #10263520 by LimeGreenTeknii
- Estoy buscando a Jamal.I'm looking for Jamal.This sentence shows how to use buscando to express that you are currently looking for a person.Tatoeba #12974454 by Alejandr0, translation #5828302 by OsoHombre
- Estoy buscando un nuevo trabajoI am looking for a new job
- Estoy en busca de una casaI am looking for a house
- Ando buscando un buen restauranteI am looking for a good restaurant
- Estoy en la búsqueda de un nuevo teléfonoI am looking for a new phone
- Estoy buscando una chambaI am looking for a job
- Estoy buscándole la vuelta a este problemaI am figuring out how to solve this problem
- ¿Sabes si están buscando personal en algún lado?Do you know if they are hiring somewhere?
- 347 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and Elena are in a crowded shopping mall.
- Daniel¿Qué estás buscando, Elena?What are you looking for, Elena?
- ElenaEstoy buscando una tienda de ropa.I am looking for a clothing store.
- DanielYo también estoy buscando algo.I am also looking for something.
- Elena¡Qué coincidencia, Daniel!What a coincidence, Daniel!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
