Encontrar Conjugation in Portuguese
encontrar means “to find” in English, and it is one of the first verbs Portuguese learners meet — it sits at number 71 in VerbFlow’s frequency list for Portuguese verbs. It means to find and to meet someone, and it is completely regular: encontro, encontras, encontra, encontramos, encontrais, encontram. Its pretérito perfeito is encontrei, encontraste, encontrou, and its participle is encontrado. It is the verb for finding what you were looking for. This page gives you the complete conjugation of encontrar — every tense, every person, the gerund and the past participle — with notes, examples, common mistakes and a quiz. Here is the verb in a natural sentence: “Eu encontro a Maria todos os dias.” — “I find Maria.”
Quick facts
- Infinitive: encontrar
- English: to find
- Verb type: Regular -ar verb
- Irregular in: none — regular in every tense
- Gerund: encontrando
- Present participle: —
- Past participle: encontrado
- Auxiliary: ter (all perfect tenses are formed with ter + the past participle)
- Ending: -ar verbs; pattern ar in the verified tables
Pronunciation
Pronunciation is not listed on this page: the verified tables do not include IPA for encontrar, so no pronunciation is given rather than an invented one. Learn the spelling of the forms first, and listen to a native speaker for the sounds rather than trusting an invented transcription. The forms below are the ones that matter: once you can read encontrar in every tense, you can recognise it in speech even before you can pronounce every form perfectly.
Three things to remember about encontrar
- It is regular: every form follows the ordinary -ar pattern, so once you know the stem you can build the whole table. The only work is learning the endings, not memorising exceptions.
- The perfect tenses use ter: the pretérito perfeito composto is formed with ter in the present plus the past participle encontrado. The tables on this page give the participle in the masculine singular form, exactly as it appears in the verified dump; agreement with the subject is a separate step that depends on the sentence, not on the verb table.
- The gerund is encontrando and the past participle is encontrado: keep both in mind as you read the tables, because the gerund appears in progressive constructions and the past participle appears in every perfect tense. There is no present participle form listed for this verb in the verified tables. If you know those two forms and the present tense, you already know the skeleton of the whole conjugation.
Full conjugation tables
Every form below comes from VerbFlow’s verified conjugation tables for encontrar. Learn the present tense first, then the pretérito perfeito and the pretérito imperfeito, and add the remaining tenses one at a time.
Present indicative (presente)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontro |
| tu | encontras |
| ele/ela | encontra |
| nós | encontramos |
| vós | encontrais |
| eles/elas | encontram |
The present indicative (presente) is used for habits, facts and things happening now. For example: “Eu encontro a Maria todos os dias.” — “I find Maria”
Pretérito perfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontrei |
| tu | encontraste |
| ele/ela | encontrou |
| nós | encontrámos |
| vós | encontrastes |
| eles/elas | encontraram |
The pretérito perfeito is used for completed actions in the past, especially one finished event. For example: “Eu encontrei a Maria ontem.” — “I found Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontrava |
| tu | encontravas |
| ele/ela | encontrava |
| nós | encontrávamos |
| vós | encontráveis |
| eles/elas | encontravam |
The pretérito imperfeito is used for ongoing or habitual actions in the past, and for background description. For example: “Eu encontrava a Maria antigamente.” — “I used to find Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontrara |
| tu | encontraras |
| ele/ela | encontrara |
| nós | encontráramos |
| vós | encontráreis |
| eles/elas | encontraram |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito simples is used for an action completed before another past action; in everyday speech the compound form with tinha is more common. For example: “Eu encontrara a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had found Maria”
Futuro do presente
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontrarei |
| tu | encontrarás |
| ele/ela | encontrará |
| nós | encontraremos |
| vós | encontrareis |
| eles/elas | encontrarão |
The futuro do presente is used for what will happen, for predictions and for promises. For example: “Eu encontrarei a Maria amanhã.” — “I will find Maria”
Futuro do pretérito
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontraria |
| tu | encontrarias |
| ele/ela | encontraria |
| nós | encontraríamos |
| vós | encontraríeis |
| eles/elas | encontrariam |
The futuro do pretérito is used for what would happen, for polite requests and for hypothetical situations. For example: “Eu encontraria a Maria um dia.” — “I would find Maria”
Pretérito perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenho encontrado |
| tu | tens encontrado |
| ele/ela | tem encontrado |
| nós | temos encontrado |
| vós | tendes encontrado |
| eles/elas | têm encontrado |
The pretérito perfeito composto is used for actions that started in the past and continue, or have been repeated, up to the present. For example: “Ele tem encontrado a Maria esta semana.” — “He has found Maria”
Pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tinha encontrado |
| tu | tinhas encontrado |
| ele/ela | tinha encontrado |
| nós | tínhamos encontrado |
| vós | tínheis encontrado |
| eles/elas | tinham encontrado |
The pretérito mais-que-perfeito composto is used for an action completed before another past action. For example: “Eu tinha encontrado a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had found Maria”
Futuro do presente composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | terei encontrado |
| tu | terás encontrado |
| ele/ela | terá encontrado |
| nós | teremos encontrado |
| vós | tereis encontrado |
| eles/elas | terão encontrado |
The futuro do presente composto is used for what will have happened by a point in the future. For example: “Eu terei encontrado a Maria até amanhã.” — “I will have found Maria”
Futuro do pretérito composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | teria encontrado |
| tu | terias encontrado |
| ele/ela | teria encontrado |
| nós | teríamos encontrado |
| vós | teríeis encontrado |
| eles/elas | teriam encontrado |
The futuro do pretérito composto is used for what would have happened in a different past. For example: “Eu teria encontrado a Maria ontem.” — “I would have found Maria”
Presente do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontre |
| tu | encontres |
| ele/ela | encontre |
| nós | encontremos |
| vós | encontreis |
| eles/elas | encontrem |
The presente do subjuntivo is used for wishes, doubts, emotions and opinions after que. For example: “É importante que eu encontre a Maria.” — “It is important that I find Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontrasse |
| tu | encontrasses |
| ele/ela | encontrasse |
| nós | encontrássemos |
| vós | encontrásseis |
| eles/elas | encontrassem |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo is used in the past for wishes and hypotheticals after que, and in se-clauses. For example: “Era importante que eu encontrasse a Maria.” — “It was important that I find Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | encontrar |
| tu | encontrares |
| ele/ela | encontrar |
| nós | encontrarmos |
| vós | encontrardes |
| eles/elas | encontrarem |
The futuro do subjuntivo is used after se and quando for a future possibility, where English would use the present. For example: “Se eu encontrar a Maria, é bom.” — “If I find Maria, that is good”
Imperativo (affirmative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | encontra |
| ele/ela | encontre |
| nós | encontremos |
| vós | encontrai |
| eles/elas | encontrem |
The affirmative imperative is used for direct commands and instructions. For example: “Encontra a Maria!” — “Find Maria!”
Imperativo (negative)
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| tu | não encontres |
| ele/ela | não encontre |
| nós | não encontremos |
| vós | não encontreis |
| eles/elas | não encontrem |
The negative imperative is used for prohibitions and negative commands. For example: “Não encontres a Maria.” — “Do not find Maria.”
Presente do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tenha encontrado |
| tu | tenhas encontrado |
| ele/ela | tenha encontrado |
| nós | tenhamos encontrado |
| vós | tenhais encontrado |
| eles/elas | tenham encontrado |
The presente do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a subordinate clause expressing doubt, wish or emotion. For example: “É importante que eu tenha encontrado a Maria.” — “It is important that I have found Maria”
Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tivesse encontrado |
| tu | tivesses encontrado |
| ele/ela | tivesse encontrado |
| nós | tivéssemos encontrado |
| vós | tivésseis encontrado |
| eles/elas | tivessem encontrado |
The pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo composto is used for a completed action in a past subordinate clause. For example: “Era importante que eu tivesse encontrado a Maria.” — “It was important that I had found Maria”
Futuro do subjuntivo composto
| Person | Form |
|---|---|
| eu | tiver encontrado |
| tu | tiveres encontrado |
| ele/ela | tiver encontrado |
| nós | tivermos encontrado |
| vós | tiverdes encontrado |
| eles/elas | tiverem encontrado |
The futuro do subjuntivo composto is used after se for a completed future possibility. For example: “Se eu tiver encontrado a Maria, é bom.” — “If I have found Maria, that is good”
Gerund
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Gerund | encontrando |
The gerund is used for an action happening at the same time as another action, often with estar for the progressive. For example: “Encontrando a Maria, aprendo muito.” — “While finding Maria, I learn a lot.”
Past participle
| Form | Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Past participle | encontrado |
The past participle is used with an auxiliary to form the perfect tenses, and as an adjective. For example: “Eu tenho encontrado a Maria esta semana.” — “I have found Maria.”
Example sentences
Ten natural sentences with encontrar, covering different tenses and persons. Say each one aloud, then cover the Portuguese and try to produce it from the English.
- “Eu encontro a Maria todos os dias.” — “I find Maria”
- “Tu encontraste a Maria ontem.” — “You found Maria”
- “Ele encontrava a Maria antigamente.” — “He used to find Maria”
- “Eu encontrarei a Maria amanhã.” — “I will find Maria”
- “Tu encontrarias a Maria um dia.” — “You would find Maria”
- “Ele tem encontrado a Maria esta semana.” — “He has found Maria”
- “Eu tinha encontrado a Maria antes do jantar.” — “I had found Maria”
- “Tu terás encontrado a Maria até amanhã.” — “You will have found Maria”
- “É importante que eu encontre a Maria.” — “It is important that I find Maria”
- “Encontra a Maria!” — “Find Maria!”
Common mistakes
1. Using the infinitive instead of a conjugated form
✗ Wrong: “Eu encontrar a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu encontro a Maria todos os dias.”
The infinitive encontrar never takes a subject. After eu you need the conjugated present form encontro.
2. Using the wrong person’s form
✗ Wrong: “Eu encontras a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu encontro a Maria todos os dias.”
encontras is the tu form, not the eu form. Match the verb to the subject every time: eu goes with encontro.
3. Using the present for a finished past action
✗ Wrong: “Eu encontro a Maria ontem.”
✓ Right: “Eu encontrei a Maria ontem.”
Ontem points to the past, so the present is wrong here. Use the pretérito perfeito encontrei for a finished action yesterday.
4. Using the wrong auxiliary in the pretérito perfeito composto
✗ Wrong: “Eu sou encontrado a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho encontrado a Maria esta semana.”
The pretérito perfeito composto of encontrar is formed with ter plus the past participle encontrado: the eu form is tenho encontrado. Check the auxiliary in the table above before you build a perfect tense.
5. Using the indicative after a subjunctive trigger
✗ Wrong: “É importante que eu encontro a Maria.”
✓ Right: “É importante que eu encontre a Maria.”
After é importante que Portuguese needs the subjunctive, so use encontre here, not the indicative encontro.
6. Using the gerund instead of the past participle in a perfect tense
✗ Wrong: “Eu tenho encontrando a Maria.”
✓ Right: “Eu tenho encontrado a Maria esta semana.”
The perfect tenses need the past participle encontrado, not the gerund encontrando. The gerund belongs in progressive constructions, never after an auxiliary in a perfect tense.
Quiz: test yourself
Ten questions on encontrar. Choose the right form, then check the answer key below.
What is the eu form of encontrar in the Present indicative (presente)?
- A) encontras
- B) encontro
- C) encontra
- D) encontramos
What is the ele/ela form of encontrar in the Pretérito perfeito?
- A) encontrei
- B) encontraste
- C) encontrou
- D) encontrámos
What is the nós form of encontrar in the Pretérito imperfeito?
- A) encontrava
- B) encontravas
- C) encontráveis
- D) encontrávamos
What is the tu form of encontrar in the Futuro do presente?
- A) encontrarás
- B) encontrarei
- C) encontrará
- D) encontraremos
What is the eu form of encontrar in the Futuro do pretérito?
- A) encontrarias
- B) encontraria
- C) encontraríamos
- D) encontraríeis
What is the ele/ela form of encontrar in the Pretérito perfeito composto?
- A) tenho encontrado
- B) tens encontrado
- C) tem encontrado
- D) temos encontrado
What is the ele/ela form of encontrar in the Presente do subjuntivo?
- A) encontres
- B) encontremos
- C) encontreis
- D) encontre
What is the eu form of encontrar in the Pretérito imperfeito do subjuntivo?
- A) encontrasse
- B) encontrasses
- C) encontrássemos
- D) encontrásseis
What is the gerund of encontrar?
- A) encontrado
- B) encontrando
- C) encontrar
- D) encontro
What does encontrar mean in English?
- A) to ask for
- B) to receive
- C) to find
- D) to pay
Answer key
- B) encontro — the correct form is encontro. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) encontrou — the correct form is encontrou. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) encontrávamos — the correct form is encontrávamos. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) encontrarás — the correct form is encontrarás. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) encontraria — the correct form is encontraria. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) tem encontrado — the correct form is tem encontrado. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- D) encontre — the correct form is encontre. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- A) encontrasse — the correct form is encontrasse. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- B) encontrando — the correct form is encontrando. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
- C) to find — the correct form is to find. The other options are other forms of the same verb.
Frequently asked questions
What does encontrar mean in English?
encontrar means “to find”. It is a core everyday verb, so its present-tense forms are worth learning first.
Is encontrar regular or irregular?
encontrar is regular: it follows the ordinary -ar pattern in every tense. The gerund is encontrando and the past participle is encontrado.
What are the gerund and past participle of encontrar?
The gerund is encontrando — use it with estar for the progressive. The past participle is encontrado — use it with ter for the perfect tenses, as in tenho encontrado.
Which auxiliary does encontrar take in the pretérito perfeito composto?
encontrar takes ter in the pretérito perfeito composto: the eu form is tenho encontrado. All seven compound tenses on this page are built with ter plus the past participle encontrado.
How do I say “I find” in Portuguese?
Say “Eu encontro a Maria todos os dias.” — “I find Maria” The eu form of the present is encontro, and it is the form you will use most often.
Related pages
- Full conjugation of encontrar — every tense of encontrar in one place.
- Encontrar in the present tense — the full table and usage rules for one tense.
- Encontrar examples and quiz — more example sentences and practice questions for this verb.
- Portuguese present tense guide — the full guide to the present tense in Portuguese.
- Pagar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Comprar conjugation — another everyday Portuguese verb.
- Portuguese verbs — the full hub of Portuguese conjugation pages.
- VerbFlow home — all languages, tools and verb lists.
- Verb Conjugator — practise encontrar with the interactive tool.
- Conjugation Chart Printer — practise encontrar with the interactive tool.
- Tense Finder — practise encontrar with the interactive tool.