encontrarlos
en-kon-TRAR-lohs
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
He perdido mis guantes y no puedo encontrarlos.
A1I have lost my gloves and I cannot find them.
Si vas al parque, es probable encontrarlos allí.
A2If you go to the park, it is likely you will find them there.
Necesito los documentos; ¿puedes ayudame a encontrarlos?
A2I need the documents; can you help me find them?
💡 Grammar Points
Two words in one
This word is a combination of 'encontrar' (to find) and 'los' (them). When you have a command or a 'to' form of a verb, you stick 'them' right onto the end of the word.
Who are we finding?
The '-los' ending tells us you are finding a group of men, or a mixed group of men and women, or a group of masculine objects (like 'libros').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Word Order
Mistake: "No puedo los encontrar."
Correction: No puedo encontrarlos (or 'No los puedo encontrar'). If the verb is in the 'to' form (infinitive), the 'them' usually goes at the end.
⭐ Usage Tips
The 'O' to 'UE' change
Even though this word ends in '-los', the main part 'encontrar' is a 'boot verb.' This means in most present-tense forms, the 'o' turns into 'ue' (like 'encuentro'), but it stays as 'o' in this infinitive form 'encontrarlos'.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
preterite
imperfect
present
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: encontrarlos
Question 1 of 2
What does the '-los' at the end of 'encontrarlos' represent?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I say 'los encontrar' separately?
Not exactly. You can say 'Los quiero encontrar' (I want to find them), where the 'los' comes before the main verb, or 'Quiero encontrarlos' (I want to find them). You cannot just have 'los' sitting alone before an infinitive.
Does 'encontrarlos' mean people or things?
It can be both! As long as the things or people are masculine (or a mixed-gender group of people), you use '-los'.