A high-quality storybook illustration showing a small child character kneeling on the floor, intently peering into a dark space under a large wooden armchair, actively searching for a lost object.

busqué

boo-SKEH

VerbA1irregular (spelling change) ar

I looked for?completed action,I searched?completed action

Also:I went after?trying to obtain something

Quick Reference

infinitivebuscar

gerundbuscando

past Participlebuscado

📝 In Action

Ayer busqué mis gafas por media hora.

Yesterday I looked for my glasses for half an hour.

Busqué el restaurante en el mapa antes de salir.

I searched for the restaurant on the map before leaving.

Busqué una solución al problema, pero no la encontré.

I looked for a solution to the problem, but I didn't find one.

Word Connections

Synonyms

encontrar (to find)
rastrear (to track down)

Antonyms

perder (to lose)

Common Collocations

busqué trabajo – I looked for work
busqué en vano – I searched in vain

💡 Grammar Points

The Simple Past (Preterite)

This form tells you that the action ('I looked for') started and finished completely at a specific moment in the past. It is a one-time event.

The C-to-QU Spelling Change

Since buscar ends in -car, the 'c' changes to 'qu' only in the 'yo' preterite form (busqué) and all subjunctive forms (busque, busquemos, etc.). This change keeps the hard 'k' sound consistent.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Missing the Accent Mark

Mistake: "I looked for: busqué (with accent)"

Correction: Always remember the accent mark (´) on the final 'é'. If you write 'busque', you are using a different verb form (the subjunctive, used for wishes or commands).

Forgetting the Spelling Rule

Mistake: "I looked for: buscé (Incorrect C)"

Correction: The correct form is 'busqué'. If you used 'buscé', it would sound like 'boo-SEH' instead of 'boo-SKEH'. Spanish needs the 'qu' before 'e' to keep the hard 'k' sound.

⭐ Usage Tips

Focus on the Result

Use 'busqué' when the emphasis is on the fact that the search was performed and completed, even if you didn't find what you were looking for.

🔄 Conjugations

indicative

present

él/ella/ustedbusca

yobusco

túbuscas

ellos/ellas/ustedesbuscan

nosotrosbuscamos

vosotrosbuscáis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedbuscaba

yobuscaba

túbuscabas

ellos/ellas/ustedesbuscaban

nosotrosbuscábamos

vosotrosbuscabais

preterite

él/ella/ustedbuscó

yobusqué

túbuscaste

ellos/ellas/ustedesbuscaron

nosotrosbuscamos

vosotrosbuscasteis

subjunctive

present

él/ella/ustedbusque

yobusque

túbusques

ellos/ellas/ustedesbusquen

nosotrosbusquemos

vosotrosbusquéis

imperfect

él/ella/ustedbuscara / buscase

yobuscara / buscase

túbuscaras / buscases

ellos/ellas/ustedesbuscaran / buscasen

nosotrosbuscáramos / buscásemos

vosotrosbuscarais / buscaseis

View All Tenses & Moods →

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: busqué

Question 1 of 1

Which sentence correctly uses 'busqué' to describe a completed action?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

buscar(to look for (infinitive)) - verb

búsqueda(search (noun)) - noun

buscador(search engine) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'busqué' considered an irregular verb?

Yes, but only slightly! It is regular in most forms, but it has a minor spelling change (c to qu) in the 'yo' form of the simple past (busqué) and in all forms of the present subjunctive. This change is necessary to keep the 'k' sound consistent.

What is the difference between 'busqué' and 'buscaba'?

'Busqué' (Preterite) means 'I looked for' as a single, finished event ('I searched yesterday'). 'Buscaba' (Imperfect) means 'I was looking for' or 'I used to look for,' usually describing an ongoing action or a habit in the past ('I was looking when the phone rang').