buscar
Lemma Details
Translation: to search; to look for; to seek; to find
Part of Speech: verb
Etymology: From Old Spanish buscar, possibly from Latin *boscāre ('to look for in the woods'), from boscus ('woods'). Some scholars suggest it may be related to the Germanic root *busk- ('bush, woods'). The evolution of meaning from 'to search in the woods' to the general sense of 'to search' shows how language adapts from specific contexts to broader applications.
Commonality: 95%
Guessability: 30%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Estoy buscando mis llaves.
I am looking for my keys.
Busca información en internet.
Look for information on the internet.
Buscamos una solución al problema.
We are looking for a solution to the problem.
¿Qué buscas en la vida?
What are you seeking in life?
El perro busca a su dueño.
The dog is looking for its owner.
Mnemonics
- Think of being in a 'bus car' searching for your destination.
- Sounds a bit like 'to ask' which is often what you do when you're looking for something.
- Remember the phrase 'busca la vida' (seek life) to connect with the core meaning of searching.
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Example Wordforms
Cultural Context
A fundamental verb in Spanish that appears in many idiomatic expressions. In Latin American countries, 'buscar' is often used in contexts related to employment ('buscar trabajo' - to look for work) and is central to discussions about life opportunities and migration.
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'buscar' means 'to look for' or 'to search', 'encontrar' means 'to find' or 'to encounter'. 'Buscar' is the process, 'encontrar' is the result.
Notes: These verbs often appear together in sequence: 'Busqué las llaves y las encontré' (I looked for the keys and found them).
Mnemonic: Buscar comes before encontrar: first you search, then you find.
Explanation: 'Buscar' means 'to search' while 'preguntar' means 'to ask'. They can be confused because in English we sometimes say 'ask for' when we mean 'look for'.
Notes: When you're searching for information by asking others, you might use both: 'Busco información preguntando a expertos' (I'm looking for information by asking experts).
Mnemonic: Preguntar has 'pregunta' (question) in it - you ask questions.