encontrarlo
“encontrarlo” means “to find it” in Spanish (Locating a masculine noun or an abstract concept ('it')).
📝 In Action
Necesito encontrarlo antes de que sea tarde.
A1I need to find it before it's too late.
¿Sabes dónde está mi libro? No puedo encontrarlo.
A2Do you know where my book is? I can't find it.
Espero encontrármelo en la fiesta, hace tiempo que no lo veo.
B1I hope to run into him at the party; I haven't seen him in a long time. (Note: This uses the reflexive 'encontrarse'.)
Word Connections
Indicative
Present
Imperfect
Preterite
Subjunctive
Present Subjunctive
Imperfect Subjunctive
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: encontrarlo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'encontrarlo'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology
Comes from the Vulgar Latin *incontrāre*, meaning 'to encounter' or 'come upon.' It literally combines the idea of 'in' and 'against/opposite'—to meet something directly.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does 'encontrarlo' always mean 'to find it'?
Yes, 'encontrarlo' means 'to find' plus the direct object 'it' or 'him.' If you needed to find a feminine object (like 'la llave'—the key), you would say 'encontrarla' instead.
Why is there no accent mark on 'encontrarlo'?
Even though it is a long word, the natural stress stays on the 'ar' part of the infinitive, following the standard Spanish stress rules for words ending in a vowel, 'n', or 's'. If it were an affirmative command, like 'encuéntralo,' the accent would be required because the stress shifts.