buscar
“buscar” means “to look for” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
to look for
Also: to search for, to seek
📝 In Action
Busco mis llaves. ¿Las has visto?
A1I'm looking for my keys. Have you seen them?
Mi hermano busca trabajo en Madrid.
A2My brother is looking for a job in Madrid.
Los científicos buscan una cura para la enfermedad.
B1The scientists are searching for a cure for the disease.
to pick up
Also: to fetch, to get
📝 In Action
Voy a buscar a los niños a la escuela a las cinco.
A2I'm going to pick up the kids from school at five.
¿Puedes buscar el pan en la tienda, por favor?
A2Can you get the bread at the store, please?
Tengo que ir a buscar mi traje a la tintorería.
B1I have to go get my suit from the dry cleaner's.
to look for trouble
Also: to ask for it
📝 In Action
Si sigues molestándolo, estás buscando problemas.
B2If you keep bothering him, you're looking for trouble.
No me mires así, ¿estás buscando pelea?
B2Don't look at me like that, are you looking for a fight?
Él se lo buscó. Le advertimos que no invirtiera en eso.
C1He asked for it. We warned him not to invest in that.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: buscar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly means 'I'm going to pick up my sister from the airport'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From Vulgar Latin '*buscare', which likely came from the Germanic word '*busk' (meaning 'bush'). The original idea was 'to search for a path in the bushes,' which evolved into the general meaning of searching for anything.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why don't you say 'buscar por' for 'to look for'?
It's a great question because 'por' often means 'for'. However, the Spanish verb 'buscar' already has the idea of 'for' built into it. Think of 'buscar' as a single-word package that means 'to-look-for'. Adding 'por' is a common mistake for English speakers, but in Spanish it sounds a bit redundant.
How can I tell if 'buscar' means 'to look for' or 'to pick up'?
It all comes down to context. If someone is talking about a lost item ('Busco mis llaves'), it means 'to look for'. If they are talking about going somewhere to get a person or thing ('Voy a buscar a los niños'), it means 'to pick up' or 'to get'. The verb 'ir a' (to go to) is a big clue!