Buscar Conjugation: All Spanish Tenses

Buscar (to look for, to search) is a very common Spanish verb and it is regular: it follows the -ar verb pattern. It only shows a c→qu spelling change before e (busqué, busque) to keep the [k] sound; that is spelling, not an irregularity.

Indicative Tenses of Buscar

Buscar in the Present (Presente)

Habits, current facts and general truths: Busco trabajo desde hace meses (I have been looking for a job for months).

Present tense rules →

Buscar in the Preterite (Pretérito indefinido)

Completed actions at a specific moment in the past: Ayer busqué las llaves por toda la casa (Yesterday I looked for the keys all over the house).

Preterite rules →

Buscar in the Present Perfect (Pretérito perfecto)

Past connected to the present: Hoy he buscado tu nombre en la lista (Today I have looked for your name on the list).

Present perfect rules →

Buscar in the Imperfect (Pretérito imperfecto)

Habitual or ongoing actions in the past: De niño siempre buscaba excusas para no estudiar (As a child I always looked for excuses not to study).

Imperfect rules →

Buscar in the Past Perfect (Pluscuamperfecto)

An action before another past action: Cuando llegué, ya habían buscado otra solución (When I arrived, they had already looked for another solution).

Past perfect rules →

Buscar in the Future (Futuro simple)

Plans and predictions: Mañana buscaré un piso más céntrico (Tomorrow I will look for a more central flat).

Future tense rules →

Buscar in the Future Perfect (Futuro perfecto)

An action that will be completed in the future: Para el lunes ya habré buscado un sustituto (By Monday I will have looked for a replacement).

Future perfect rules →

Buscar in the Conditional (Condicional simple)

Advice and hypothetical situations: Yo en tu lugar buscaría otro empleo (If I were you, I would look for another job).

Conditional rules →

Buscar in the Conditional Perfect (Condicional compuesto)

Hypotheses about the past: Habría buscado ayuda, pero no había nadie cerca (I would have looked for help, but there was nobody around).

Conditional perfect rules →

Subjunctive Tenses of Buscar

Present Subjunctive of Buscar (Presente de subjuntivo)

Wishes, doubts and emotions: Quiero que busques una alternativa mejor (I want you to look for a better alternative).

Present subjunctive rules →

Present Perfect Subjunctive of Buscar (Pretérito perfecto de subjuntivo)

Evaluating a recent past action: Espero que hayas buscado bien antes de rendirte (I hope you have looked well before giving up).

Perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperfect Subjunctive of Buscar (Pretérito imperfecto de subjuntivo)

Hypothetical conditions: Si buscaras con calma, lo encontrarías enseguida (If you looked calmly, you would find it right away).

Imperfect subjunctive rules →

Past Perfect Subjunctive of Buscar (Pluscuamperfecto de subjuntivo)

Unreal hypotheses about the past: Si hubieras buscado antes, ya lo tendrías (If you had looked earlier, you would already have it).

Past perfect subjunctive rules →

Imperative of Buscar

Affirmative Commands of Buscar (Imperativo afirmativo)

Orders and requests: ¡Busca bien en los cajones! (Look carefully in the drawers!)

Affirmative commands rules →

Negative Commands of Buscar (Imperativo negativo)

Prohibitions and negative advice: No busques excusas (Don't look for excuses).

Negative commands rules →

Expressions with Buscar

• Buscarse la vida - to fend for yourself, to get by
• Buscarle tres pies al gato - to overcomplicate things needlessly
• Buscar una aguja en un pajar - to look for a needle in a haystack
• Buscar las cosquillas a alguien - to provoke or wind someone up