encontrado
“encontrado” means “found” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
found
📝 In Action
He encontrado las llaves que perdí.
A1I have found the keys that I lost.
¿Has encontrado una solución al problema?
A2Have you found a solution to the problem?
Todavía no hemos encontrado un buen restaurante.
A2We haven't found a good restaurant yet.
found
Also: mixed, conflicting
📝 In Action
El perro encontrado en el parque ya está con su familia.
B1The found dog in the park is already with its family.
Tengo sentimientos encontrados sobre irme a vivir a otro país.
B2I have mixed feelings about going to live in another country.
Tenemos opiniones encontradas sobre ese tema.
B2We have conflicting opinions on that topic.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: encontrado
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'encontrado' to describe an object?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the old Latin phrase 'in contra', which meant 'against' or 'opposite'. The idea was that you 'come up against' something when you find it, as if by chance.
First recorded: Around the 12th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'encontré' and 'he encontrado'?
Think of it like 'I found' vs. 'I have found'. Use 'encontré' for a specific, finished moment in the past (e.g., 'Ayer encontré mis llaves' - 'Yesterday I found my keys'). Use 'he encontrado' when the exact time isn't important, it's recent, or it's a life experience (e.g., '¡He encontrado mis llaves!' - 'I've found my keys!').
Why does it sometimes change to 'encontrada', 'encontrados', or 'encontradas'?
That happens when it's being used as an adjective (a describing word). It has to match the noun it describes. So you'd say 'el libro encontrado' (masculine, singular) but 'la casa encontrada' (feminine, singular) and 'los libros encontrados' (masculine, plural).