Meaning and behavior
What does buscar mean?
Buscar means to seek, search for, look for, try to find, to scour. VerbyGo classifies it as an irregular -AR verb. It is non-reflexive.
to look up (in a search engine, dictionary, etc.); to fetch, get, pick up.
Build from reliable parts
Principal forms
- Infinitive
- buscar
- Gerund
- buscando
- Past participle
- buscado
Verified irregular pattern
How this verb behaves
Its forms differ from a fully regular -ar pattern in the preterite.
Conjugation guide
Present forms
Present forms
Present
Use the present forms of buscar for current situations, routines and actions that happen regularly.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | busco |
| tú | buscas |
| él / ella / usted | busca |
| nosotros / nosotras | buscamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | buscáis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | buscan |
Present forms
Present progressive
Use present estar with buscando for an action in progress now.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | estoy buscando |
| tú | estás buscando |
| él / ella / usted | está buscando |
| nosotros / nosotras | estamos buscando |
| vosotros / vosotras | estáis buscando |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | están buscando |
Present forms
Present perfect
Use present haber with buscado for a completed action connected to the present.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | he buscado |
| tú | has buscado |
| él / ella / usted | ha buscado |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos buscado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis buscado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han buscado |
Present forms
Present perfect continuous
Use present haber, estado and buscando to emphasize an activity continuing into the present.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | he estado buscando |
| tú | has estado buscando |
| él / ella / usted | ha estado buscando |
| nosotros / nosotras | hemos estado buscando |
| vosotros / vosotras | habéis estado buscando |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | han estado buscando |
Conjugation guide
Past forms
Past forms
Preterite
Use the preterite when the action of buscar is presented as completed in the past.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | busqué |
| tú | buscaste |
| él / ella / usted | buscó |
| nosotros / nosotras | buscamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | buscasteis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | buscaron |
Past forms
Imperfect past
Use the imperfect for repeated or ongoing past uses of buscar, or for background information.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | buscaba |
| tú | buscabas |
| él / ella / usted | buscaba |
| nosotros / nosotras | buscábamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | buscabais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | buscaban |
Past forms
Past perfect
Use imperfect haber with buscado for an action completed before another past point.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | había buscado |
| tú | habías buscado |
| él / ella / usted | había buscado |
| nosotros / nosotras | habíamos buscado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habíais buscado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habían buscado |
Conjugation guide
Future and conditional
Future and conditional
Simple future
Use the future forms of buscar for predictions, promises and future statements.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | buscaré |
| tú | buscarás |
| él / ella / usted | buscará |
| nosotros / nosotras | buscaremos |
| vosotros / vosotras | buscaréis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | buscarán |
Future and conditional
Future perfect
Use future haber with buscado for an action that will be complete before a future point.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | habré buscado |
| tú | habrás buscado |
| él / ella / usted | habrá buscado |
| nosotros / nosotras | habremos buscado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habréis buscado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrán buscado |
Future and conditional
Simple conditional
Use the conditional forms of buscar for hypothetical or tactful statements.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | buscaría |
| tú | buscarías |
| él / ella / usted | buscaría |
| nosotros / nosotras | buscaríamos |
| vosotros / vosotras | buscaríais |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | buscarían |
Future and conditional
Conditional perfect
Use conditional haber with buscado for a hypothetical completed past action.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | habría buscado |
| tú | habrías buscado |
| él / ella / usted | habría buscado |
| nosotros / nosotras | habríamos buscado |
| vosotros / vosotras | habríais buscado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | habrían buscado |
Conjugation guide
Subjunctive forms
Subjunctive forms
Present subjunctive
Use these forms when a current wish, reaction, doubt or another trigger requires the subjunctive.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | busque |
| tú | busques |
| él / ella / usted | busque |
| nosotros / nosotras | busquemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | busquéis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | busquen |
Subjunctive forms
Perfect subjunctive
Use present-subjunctive haber with buscado for a completed action in a present subjunctive context.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | haya buscado |
| tú | hayas buscado |
| él / ella / usted | haya buscado |
| nosotros / nosotras | hayamos buscado |
| vosotros / vosotras | hayáis buscado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hayan buscado |
Subjunctive forms
Imperfect subjunctive
Use these forms for past subjunctive contexts and hypothetical structures; the equivalent -se series is also accepted where supplied.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | buscaraAlso accepted: buscase |
| tú | buscarasAlso accepted: buscases |
| él / ella / usted | buscaraAlso accepted: buscase |
| nosotros / nosotras | buscáramosAlso accepted: buscásemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | buscaraisAlso accepted: buscaseis |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | buscaranAlso accepted: buscasen |
Subjunctive forms
Past perfect subjunctive
Use imperfect-subjunctive haber with buscado for an unreal or earlier completed past action.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| yo | hubiera buscadoAlso accepted: hubiese buscado |
| tú | hubieras buscadoAlso accepted: hubieses buscado |
| él / ella / usted | hubiera buscadoAlso accepted: hubiese buscado |
| nosotros / nosotras | hubiéramos buscadoAlso accepted: hubiésemos buscado |
| vosotros / vosotras | hubierais buscadoAlso accepted: hubieseis buscado |
| ellos / ellas / ustedes | hubieran buscadoAlso accepted: hubiesen buscado |
Conjugation guide
Commands
Commands
Affirmative commands
Choose the affirmative command of buscar that matches the person being addressed.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| tú | busca |
| usted | busque |
| nosotros / nosotras | busquemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | buscad |
| ustedes | busquen |
Commands
Negative commands
Use no with the matching command form of buscar.
| Subject | Buscar |
|---|---|
| tú | no busques |
| usted | no busque |
| nosotros / nosotras | no busquemos |
| vosotros / vosotras | no busquéis |
| ustedes | no busquen |
Verified context
Examples with buscar
Busco un regalo para mi madre.
I'm looking for a present for my mother.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRBusco el interruptor de la luz.
I'm looking for the light switch.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FRBuscó la llave en sus bolsillos.
He searched his pockets for the key.
Tatoeba example · CC BY 2.0 FR
Quick answers
Buscar FAQ
What does buscar mean?
Buscar means to seek, search for, look for, try to find, to scour.
Is buscar regular or irregular?
Buscar is a irregular -AR verb.
What is the gerund of buscar?
The gerund of buscar is buscando.
What is the past participle of buscar?
The past participle of buscar is buscado.
How is buscar conjugated in the present?
The verified public subject set is busco, buscas, busca, buscamos, buscan.
How is buscar conjugated in the preterite?
The verified public subject set is busqué, buscaste, buscó, buscamos, buscaron.
Created by Alejandro Ruiz, an experienced Spanish tutor.