buscar
to look for/search
'Buscar' is a regular -ar verb with a c→qu spelling change before 'e' (busqué, busque). Its direct object takes no preposition: 'buscar algo', not 'buscar por algo'.
Busco mis llaves.
I'm looking for my keys.
Indicativo
Presente
Present
Busco mis llaves por todas partes.
I'm looking for my keys everywhere.
¿Qué buscas en el armario?
What are you looking for in the wardrobe?
Ella busca trabajo desde marzo.
She has been looking for a job since March.
Buscamos un piso más grande.
We are looking for a bigger flat.
¿A quién buscáis?
Who are you looking for?
Los perros buscan la pelota.
The dogs are looking for the ball.
Pretérito Imperfecto
Imperfect
De niño buscaba caracoles en el jardín.
As a child I used to look for snails in the garden.
Siempre buscabas una excusa.
You always used to look for an excuse.
Él buscaba respuestas en los libros.
He used to look for answers in books.
Buscábamos setas cada otoño.
We used to look for mushrooms every autumn.
Vosotros buscabais siempre lo imposible.
You always used to look for the impossible.
Los exploradores buscaban tesoros.
The explorers used to look for treasures.
Pretérito Indefinido
Preterite
Ayer busqué el documento toda la mañana.
Yesterday I looked for the document all morning.
¿Dónde buscaste las gafas?
Where did you look for your glasses?
Ella buscó ayuda enseguida.
She looked for help right away.
Buscamos el coche por todo el aparcamiento.
We looked for the car all over the car park.
¿Buscasteis en la otra sala?
Did you look in the other room?
Los vecinos buscaron al gato perdido.
The neighbours looked for the lost cat.
Pretérito Perfecto Compuesto
Present Perfect
Te he buscado por toda la casa.
I have looked for you all over the house.
¿Has buscado en internet?
Have you looked on the internet?
Ha buscado ese disco durante años.
He has looked for that record for years.
Hemos buscado una solución juntos.
We have looked for a solution together.
¿Habéis buscado bien?
Have you looked properly?
Los expertos han buscado la causa.
The experts have looked for the cause.
Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto
Pluperfect
Ya había buscado allí antes.
I had already looked there before.
Dijiste que habías buscado en el cajón.
You said you had looked in the drawer.
Ella había buscado consejo antes de decidir.
She had looked for advice before deciding.
Habíamos buscado por todas partes sin éxito.
We had looked everywhere without success.
No sabía que habíais buscado tanto.
I didn't know you had looked so much.
Los guardias habían buscado en cada rincón.
The guards had looked in every corner.
Futuro Simple
Future
Mañana buscaré un hotel más barato.
Tomorrow I will look for a cheaper hotel.
¿Buscarás trabajo en otra ciudad?
Will you look for a job in another city?
El detective buscará más pistas.
The detective will look for more clues.
Buscaremos un lugar tranquilo.
We will look for a quiet place.
¿Buscaréis alojamiento por internet?
Will you look for accommodation online?
Los socorristas buscarán supervivientes.
The rescuers will look for survivors.
Futuro Compuesto
Future Perfect
Para el mediodía ya habré buscado en todos lados.
By noon I will have looked everywhere.
Cuando venga, ya habrás buscado la dirección.
When I come, you will have already looked for the address.
Seguro que habrá buscado en el lugar equivocado.
He will surely have looked in the wrong place.
Para entonces habremos buscado otra opción.
By then we will have looked for another option.
Cuando vuelva, ya habréis buscado las respuestas.
When I return, you will have already looked for the answers.
Los investigadores habrán buscado toda la noche.
The investigators will have looked all night.
Condicional
Condicional Simple
Conditional
Yo buscaría un especialista.
I would look for a specialist.
¿Buscarías otra ruta?
Would you look for another route?
Ella buscaría la manera de ayudar.
She would look for a way to help.
Buscaríamos un acuerdo justo.
We would look for a fair agreement.
¿Buscaríais ayuda profesional?
Would you look for professional help?
Ellos buscarían refugio de inmediato.
They would look for shelter immediately.
Condicional Compuesto
Conditional Perfect
Habría buscado más, pero se hizo tarde.
I would have looked more, but it got late.
¿Habrías buscado en otro sitio?
Would you have looked somewhere else?
Él habría buscado apoyo si hubiera podido.
He would have looked for support if he could.
Habríamos buscado una alternativa mejor.
We would have looked for a better alternative.
Vosotros habríais buscado otra salida.
You would have looked for another way out.
Los guías habrían buscado un atajo.
The guides would have looked for a shortcut.
Subjuntivo
Presente de Subjuntivo
Present Subjunctive
No creo que busque otro empleo.
I don't think I'll look for another job.
Quiero que busques la verdad.
I want you to look for the truth.
Es normal que busque su sitio.
It's normal for him to look for his place.
Conviene que busquemos alternativas.
It's advisable that we look for alternatives.
Espero que busquéis un buen abogado.
I hope you look for a good lawyer.
Les pido que busquen con calma.
I ask them to look calmly.
Pretérito Imperfecto de Subjuntivo
Imperfect Subjunctive
Me dijo que buscara otro camino.
He told me to look for another way.
Sería bueno que buscaras consejo.
It would be good if you looked for advice.
No pensé que buscara pelea.
I didn't think he was looking for a fight.
Nos aconsejaron que buscáramos ayuda.
They advised us to look for help.
Querían que buscarais un acuerdo.
They wanted you to look for an agreement.
Ordenó que buscaran al culpable.
He ordered them to look for the culprit.
Pretérito Perfecto de Subjuntivo
Present Perfect Subjunctive
Me alegro de que haya buscado ayuda.
I'm glad I have looked for help.
Ojalá hayas buscado bien.
I hope you have looked properly.
Dudo que haya buscado en serio.
I doubt he has looked seriously.
Es bueno que hayamos buscado juntos.
It's good that we have looked together.
Me alegra que hayáis buscado una solución.
I'm glad you have looked for a solution.
No creo que hayan buscado suficiente.
I don't think they have looked enough.
Pretérito Pluscuamperfecto de Subjuntivo
Pluperfect Subjunctive
Si hubiera buscado antes, lo habría encontrado.
If I had looked earlier, I would have found it.
Ojalá hubieras buscado en el desván.
I wish you had looked in the attic.
Si hubiera buscado mejor, no lo habría perdido.
If he had looked better, he wouldn't have lost it.
Si hubiéramos buscado juntos, sería más rápido.
If we had looked together, it would be faster.
Si hubierais buscado con cuidado, no habría dudas.
If you had looked carefully, there would be no doubts.
Ojalá hubieran buscado otra opción.
I wish they had looked for another option.
Imperativo
Imperativo Afirmativo
Imperative
¡Busca las llaves ahora mismo!
Look for the keys right now!
Busque en la última página.
Look on the last page.
Busquemos una mesa libre.
Let's look for a free table.
¡Buscad por el jardín!
Look around the garden!
Busquen su nombre en la lista.
Look for your name on the list.
Imperativo Negativo
Negative Imperative
No busques problemas donde no los hay.
Don't look for problems where there are none.
No busque más, ya está resuelto.
Don't look anymore, it's already solved.
No busquemos culpables ahora.
Let's not look for culprits now.
No busquéis atajos peligrosos.
Don't look for dangerous shortcuts.
No busquen excusas.
Don't look for excuses.
Formas no personales
Infinitivo
Infinitive
Es agotador buscar aparcamiento aquí.
It's exhausting to look for parking here.
Se arrepiente de no haber buscado antes.
She regrets not having looked earlier.
Gerundio
Gerund
Pasó horas buscando su anillo.
She spent hours looking for her ring.
Habiendo buscado en vano, se rindió.
Having looked in vain, he gave up.
Participio
Participle
Es un actor muy buscado.
He is a much sought-after actor.
