encontraste
en-kon-TRAHS-teh
Quick Reference
📝 In Action
¡Qué suerte! ¿Dónde encontraste esa moneda antigua?
A1What luck! Where did you find that antique coin?
Ayer encontraste la solución al problema muy rápido.
A2Yesterday you found the solution to the problem very quickly.
Llegué tarde, ¿encontraste la casa sin problemas?
A1I arrived late, did you find the house without problems?
💡 Grammar Points
Identifying the 'You'
This form, ending in -aste, tells you the action was done by 'tú' (you, informal singular). In English, 'you found' is the same whether formal or informal, but Spanish is specific!
Preterite Tense
'Encontraste' uses the preterite tense, which means the finding was a single action completed entirely in the past (e.g., 'You found it yesterday').
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong 'You'
Mistake: "¿Usted encontraste el libro?"
Correction: The form 'encontraste' is only for 'tú'. If you are speaking formally (Usted), you must say 'Usted encontró el libro'.
⭐ Usage Tips
The Regular Ending
Even though 'encontrar' is stem-changing in the present, remember the preterite 'tú' ending (-aste) is perfectly regular for all -AR verbs!
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: encontraste
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'encontraste'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'encontraste' regular or irregular?
It is irregular in the present tense (it changes 'o' to 'ue'), but 'encontraste' itself is part of the preterite tense, which follows the regular conjugation pattern for -AR verbs.
What is the difference between 'encontraste' and 'encontrasteis'?
'Encontraste' means 'you found' when speaking to one informal person ('tú'). 'Encontrasteis' means 'you found' when speaking to several informal people ('vosotros'), primarily used in Spain.