buscar
/busˈkaɾ/
To seek is buscar in Spanish.
The verb buscar is used to describe the act of trying to find something or someone. buscar is the standard, everyday word used for both casual searching and formal seeking.
Meaning: to try to find (verb)
Which one should you use?
buscar is versatile and covers both the casual act of looking for lost keys and the more formal act of seeking information or truth.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain regions of Spain, the verb averiguar is often used interchangeably with buscar when seeking information.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gerund form, used for seeking or looking for, is buscando. If you want to say 'I sought' or 'I looked for' in the first-person singular preterite past tense, use busqué.
How do you pronounce it?
/busˈkaɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
When you are seeking a specific person, remember to include the preposition a after buscar.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, buscar is used to mean 'to pick up'. For example, busco a los niños means you are going to the school to fetch your children.
- The word buscar might share ancient roots with Celtic words for 'victory' or 'gain', suggesting the act of searching is historically linked to achieving a prize.
- The phrase buscar pleito literally translates to 'seeking a fight', but it is used as an idiom to describe someone who is simply being provocative or argumentative.
Examples in context
- Él decidió buscar información en otro sitio.He decided to seek information elsewhere.This sentence shows how to use buscar when searching for information.Tatoeba #1256565 by marcelostockle, translation #292715 by CM
- Si no estamos en paz con nosotros mismos, es en vano buscar la paz en fuentes externas.If we have not peace within ourselves, it is in vain to seek it from outward sources.This sentence uses buscar in a philosophical context regarding peace.Tatoeba #5598982 by albrusgher, translation #3138801 by carlosalberto
- El único conocimiento útil es el que nos enseña cómo buscar lo que es bueno e impedir lo que es malo.The only useful knowledge is that which teaches us how to seek what is good and avoid what is evil.This sentence uses buscar to describe the act of seeking what is good.Tatoeba #1214160 by marcelostockle, translation #324288 by papabear
- Debe buscar la respuesta correctaYou should seek/find the correct answer
- Voy a buscar un buen lugar para almorzarI'm going to seek out a good place for lunch
- 6 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and María are in a living room looking for a lost remote.
- Mateo¿Puedes ayudarme a buscar el control remoto?Can you help me look for the remote control?
- MaríaSí, voy a buscar debajo del sofá.Yes, I am going to look under the sofa.
- MateoNo lo veo por ninguna parte.I don't see it anywhere.
- MaríaTal vez lo dejaste en la cocina.Maybe you left it in the kitchen.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “seek” translations and entries buscar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries buscar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
