encontrarte
/en-con-TRAR-te/
to find you
This image illustrates the act of locating another person, meaning 'to find you'.
encontrarte(verb)
to find you
?locating a person
,to meet you
?encountering or running into a person
to locate you
?formal search
📝 In Action
Quiero encontrarte en la cafetería a las tres.
A2I want to find you (or meet you) at the cafeteria at three.
Espero encontrarte bien después de tu viaje.
B1I hope to find you well after your trip.
Tenemos que encontrarte pronto, la fiesta empieza.
A2We have to find you soon, the party is starting.
💡 Grammar Points
Infinitive + Pronoun
This word is the base verb 'encontrar' with the pronoun 'te' (you) glued to the end. This is required when the infinitive follows certain verbs (like 'querer' or 'poder') or prepositions.
The Pronoun 'te'
In this meaning, 'te' is the person receiving the action. The action of finding is being done to you.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Placement Error
Mistake: "Te quiero encontrar."
Correction: Quiero encontrarte. (Both are correct, but attaching it to the infinitive, 'encontrarte', is often more fluid and common in casual speech.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Stress Shift
When you attach a pronoun to the infinitive, the stress stays on the last syllable of the verb (encontrARte), so no written accent mark is needed here.
When used reflexively, the word means 'to find yourself,' representing a moment of self-discovery or realization.
encontrarte(verb)
to find yourself
?locating oneself or discovering one's state
,to meet up (with each other)
?reciprocal action
to feel
?describing a state of health or emotion
📝 In Action
Necesitas un mapa para no encontrarte perdido.
B1You need a map so you don't find yourself lost.
Espero que logres encontrarte a ti mismo en ese viaje.
C1I hope you manage to find yourself on that trip (discover who you are).
Podemos encontrarte con María después del trabajo.
B2We can have you meet up with María after work. (Implied: 'tú' meeting María)
💡 Grammar Points
The Reflexive 'se' (here 'te')
This definition comes from the verb 'encontrarse.' The pronoun 'te' means 'you' are both doing the action and receiving it (finding yourself), or 'you' are involved in a mutual action (meeting up).
Describing Location/State
When used reflexively, 'encontrarse' often acts like 'estar' (to be) to describe how someone is feeling or where they are located: 'Me encuentro cansado' (I am tired).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting the 'con'
Mistake: "¿Quieres encontrarte la gente?"
Correction: ¿Quieres encontrarte *con* la gente? (When meeting *with* someone, you often need the preposition 'con'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Feeling Well
A very common way to ask someone how they are is using this structure: '¿Cómo te encuentras?' (How are you feeling?)
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: encontrarte
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'encontrarte' in the reflexive sense (finding oneself/feeling)?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does 'encontrar' change to 'encuentro' in the present tense?
'Encontrar' is a 'boot verb' or stem-changing verb. The 'o' in the middle changes to 'ue' whenever the stress falls on that syllable. This happens for almost all forms except for 'nosotros' and 'vosotros' in the present indicative and subjunctive.
Can I separate the pronoun 'te' from 'encontrar'?
Yes! When the pronoun is attached to the infinitive (encontrarte), it's correct. But if you have a conjugated verb that controls the infinitive (like 'puedo' or 'voy a'), you can also place the pronoun before the conjugated verb: 'Te voy a encontrar' is just as correct as 'Voy a encontrarte.'