encontraba
“encontraba” means “was finding” in Spanish (Ongoing discovery in the past (I/he/she/you formal)).
was finding, used to find, was meeting
Also: would find, was located
📝 In Action
Ella siempre encontraba la manera de hacerme reír.
A2She was always finding a way to make me laugh (or: She used to always find a way...).
Yo me encontraba muy cansado después del trabajo.
B1I was feeling very tired after work.
El museo se encontraba justo al lado del río.
A2The museum was located right next to the river.
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: encontraba
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'encontraba' to describe a recurring past action?
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👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the late Latin *incontrāre*, formed by combining the prefix *in-* (in, upon) and *contra* (against, opposite). It literally meant 'to come face-to-face with' or 'to run up against,' which evolved into 'to find.'
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'encontraba' and 'encontró'?
'Encontraba' is the Imperfect tense, used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past (e.g., 'He used to find'). 'Encontró' is the Preterite tense, used for a single, completed action at a specific time (e.g., 'He found it yesterday').
How do I know if 'encontraba' means 'I found' or 'He/She found'?
Since 'yo' (I) and 'él/ella/usted' (he/she/formal you) share this same conjugation, you must rely on the context of the conversation or the subject pronoun being used. If the sentence starts with 'Yo,' it means 'I.' If it starts with 'Mi padre,' it means 'He.'