encontró
/en-kon-TRO/
found
The word "encontró" means he/she/it found a lost object.
encontró(Verb)
found
?locating a person or object
located
?pinpointing the position of something
,spotted
?seeing something you were looking for
📝 In Action
Mi hermana **encontró** sus llaves debajo del sofá.
A1My sister found her keys under the sofa.
El niño **encontró** un perrito perdido en el parque.
A2The boy found a lost puppy in the park.
¿Quién **encontró** la solución al problema?
B1Who found the solution to the problem?
💡 Grammar Points
A Finished Past Action
Encontró is a past tense form used for actions that happened once and are now finished. Think of it as putting a timestamp on an event: 'She found the keys yesterday.' The action is complete.
Who Did It?
The -ó ending tells you the action was done by 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (you, formal). The context usually makes it clear who you're talking about.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up Past Tenses
Mistake: "A veces, él encontraba sus llaves. (Sometimes, he was finding his keys.)"
Correction: Ayer, él encontró sus llaves. (Yesterday, he found his keys.) Use `encontró` for a specific, completed event, and `encontraba` for ongoing or repeated past actions.
⭐ Usage Tips
The Go-To Verb for 'Found'
This is your everyday, all-purpose verb for finding anything, from your phone to a new restaurant. It's always a safe and natural choice.
The word "encontró" can mean he/she/it met someone by chance.
encontró(Verb)
met
?running into someone, often by chance
ran into
?an unplanned encounter
,encountered
?a more formal way of saying you met someone or something
📝 In Action
Se **encontró** con su profesor en el supermercado.
A2He/She ran into his/her teacher at the supermarket.
El explorador se **encontró** con un obstáculo inesperado.
B1The explorer encountered an unexpected obstacle.
💡 Grammar Points
The Magic `se` and `con`
To say you 'met' or 'ran into' someone, the verb changes to encontrarse con. The se shows the action is reciprocal or unexpected, and the con (with) introduces the person you met.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'con'
Mistake: "Ella se encontró su amigo."
Correction: Ella se encontró **con** su amigo. When you mean 'to meet', you almost always need `con` after `encontrarse`.
⭐ Usage Tips
Chance vs. Plan
Se encontró con... is perfect for unplanned meetings. If you planned to meet someone, it's better to use se reunió con (met up with) or just say conoció a (met for the first time).
The word "encontró" can also mean he/she/it found or discovered a fact or truth.
encontró(Verb)
found
?discovering a fact or forming an opinion
discovered
?learning something new
,realized
?coming to an understanding
📝 In Action
Después de leer el libro, **encontró** la historia un poco aburrida.
B1After reading the book, he/she found the story a bit boring.
La investigación **encontró** que no había suficiente evidencia.
B2The investigation found that there wasn't enough evidence.
⭐ Usage Tips
Expressing Opinions
You can use encontró plus an adjective to give an opinion. For example, 'Encontró la película interesante' (He/She found the movie interesting). It's a slightly more formal way to say 'Le pareció interesante'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: encontró
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly describes someone running into a friend by accident?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between `encontró` and `encontraba`?
`Encontró` is for a single, completed action in the past, like 'He found his wallet yesterday.' It's done. `Encontraba` is for actions that were ongoing or happened repeatedly in the past, like 'He was always finding interesting things at the market.'
Can I say `encontró a su amigo`?
Yes, but it has a different meaning. `Encontró a su amigo` means 'He found his friend' (implying he was looking for him). `Se encontró con su amigo` means 'He ran into his friend' (by chance).