buscaba
“buscaba” means “was looking for” in Spanish (Continuous past action (I/he/she/you formal)).
was looking for, used to look for
Also: was searching, was trying to find
📝 In Action
Yo buscaba mis gafas cuando sonó el teléfono.
A2I was looking for my glasses when the phone rang.
Ella siempre buscaba la manera de ayudar a los demás.
B1She always used to look for a way to help others.
¿Qué buscaba usted en ese cajón?
A2What were you (formal) looking for in that drawer?
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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Words that translate to "buscaba" in Spanish:
was searching→✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: buscaba
Question 1 of 1
Which of these sentences correctly uses 'buscaba' to describe a repeated past action?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
The root verb 'buscar' comes from the Old French 'busquer' (to look for, to search), which itself may have Germanic roots. It has been used in Spanish for centuries with its modern meaning.
First recorded: 13th century (in its root form)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
If 'buscaba' means 'I was looking,' how do I say 'He was looking'?
It's the same! 'Buscaba' is used for 'yo' (I), 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), and 'usted' (you formal). You need context or the subject pronoun (like 'Él buscaba...') to know who did the action.
What is the difference between 'buscaba' and 'busqué'?
'Buscaba' (Imperfect) describes an action that was ongoing or repeated in the past ('was looking'). 'Busqué' (Preterite) describes a single, completed action in the past ('I looked, and then I stopped').