encontramos
“encontramos” means “we find” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
we find
Also: we meet, we think / we consider
📝 In Action
No encontramos las llaves. ¿Dónde están?
A1We can't find the keys. Where are they?
Siempre nos encontramos en el parque para caminar.
A2We always meet in the park to walk.
Encontramos que su idea es excelente.
B1We find his idea to be excellent.
we found
Also: we met
📝 In Action
Ayer encontramos un restaurante italiano muy bueno.
A2Yesterday we found a very good Italian restaurant.
La semana pasada, nos encontramos en la fiesta de Ana.
A2Last week, we met at Ana's party.
Después de mucho buscar, por fin encontramos la salida.
B1After searching a lot, we finally found the exit.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: encontramos
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence clearly means 'We FOUND the book' (in the past)?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin phrase 'in contrā', which means 'against' or 'in front of'. The idea shifted from 'coming up against something' to 'finding' it, as if by chance.
First recorded: Around the 12th century.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if 'encontramos' means 'we find' or 'we found'?
You have to look at the other words in the sentence! Clues like 'ahora' (now) or 'cada día' (every day) point to the present ('we find'). Clues like 'ayer' (yesterday), 'anoche' (last night), or 'el año pasado' (last year) point to the past ('we found').
What's the difference between 'encontramos' and 'nos encontramos'?
Good question! 'Encontramos algo' means 'We find something' (like keys). 'Nos encontramos' often means 'we meet each other' or 'we find ourselves' in a certain situation. The little word 'nos' makes it about us.
Is 'encontramos' a regular verb form?
It's a bit of a trick! The verb 'encontrar' is irregular because the 'o' changes to 'ue' in some forms (like 'yo encuentro'). However, for the 'nosotros' (we) form, the change doesn't happen, so 'encontramos' looks just like a regular verb. It's an exception to the rule!