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December 20, 2022 by Olga Put Spanish Grammar 0 comments

Hallar vs Encontrar: What’s the Difference?

If you’ve been studying Spanish for some time already, you’ve surely encountered the hallar vs encontrar dilemma. They both seem to mean “to find,” but can they really be used interchangeably?

Linguists say that absolute synonyms don’t exist, and there will always be differences in how you use these words in terms of register or emotional value.

Their use may also vary depending on the region.

This is the case of hallar vs. encontrar.

If you want to boost your Spanish and upgrade your vocabulary skills, keep reading. You’ll learn all the subtle differences between hallar vs encontrar, their conjugation, and the most common expression. 

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Hallar vs Encontrar – The Basics

First, why are these words synonymous? How did it happen? Let’s have a quick look at their origin.

Hallar comes from the antique word “fallar” which originated from the Latin word “afflare.” It meant “to breathe in” while focused on something—to sniff, as animals do. Hence, hallar ended up meaning “to find.”

Encontrar comes from the Latin “in contra.” Originally it referred to an encounter, and much later, in the 17th century, it started to mean “to find.” That’s why encontrar has some shades of meaning that still express this “run into” and confrontational meaning.

Nowadays, these two words are synonymous when they refer to finding something, although hallar is definitely more formal, and you may spend some years not hearing someone use it in this meaning.

Let’s now see hallar vs encontrar in detail to help you impress your Spanish friends. 

7 Meanings of the Spanish Verb ‘Hallar’ 

Let’s go first with hallar. I will show you how and when to use this word. You’ll also learn some basic conjugation forms.

1. To Find

Hallar means to come upon someone or something that is sought.

Los arqueólogos hallaron finalmente la tumba del rey.
The archeologists finally found the king’s tomb.

Hallé mis llaves después de una hora de búsqueda. 
I found my keys after an hour of searching. 

Hallar also means to come upon someone or something without looking for it.

Cuando caminaba por las calles de Playa del Carmén hallé una taquería barata y sabrosa. 
While walking through the streets of Playa del Carmen, I found a cheap and tasty taquería. 

2. To Discover

Hallar also means to discover something. 

Espero que pronto hallen la cura contra el cáncer. 
I hope they find a cure for cancer soon. 

3. To Receive a Reaction

Hallar can also mean “to meet with” a certain reaction, usually support or opposition.

Mi idea halló resistencia entre mis compañeros del grupo. 
My idea met with resistance from my fellow group members. 

Esperaba hallar aprobación pero no fue así.
I expected to meet with approval, but I did not.

Meaning of Pronominal Spanish Verb: Hallarse

Hallarse, as a pronominal verb, can have some more meanings.

4. To Be In A Place, To Find Oneself 

When talking about people, hallarse means “to be in a place.”

Y de repente nos hallamos en el lugar más bonito del mundo.
And suddenly, we found ourselves in the most beautiful place in the world.

Ahora nos hallamos en Cancún, después procederemos con nuestro viaje a Mérida. 
We are now in Cancun, and then we will proceed with our trip to Merida. 

5. To Be Situated 

When talking about objects or buildings, hallarse means to be situated.

El teatro se halla en la plaza principal.
The theater is located in the main square.

6. To Be Part of

Hallarse means to find yourself to be part of a certain group.

De origen modesto, ahora se halla entre las personas más ricas del país. 
Of modest origin, he is now among the richest people in the country. 

7. To Be In A State

Hallarse also means experiencing a state or emotion.

Hoy me hallo llena de energía.
Today I am full of energy.

Después de la caminata, se hallaban cansados y sin ganas de seguir. 
After the walk, they were tired and did not feel like going on. 

1 Common Hallar Expression

Although hallar is considered a less common verb than encontrar there is one expression that you may hear quite often.

No hallarse 

This expression means to be uncomfortable in a place or situation, to be annoyed.

No me hallo. No sé qué pasa. Voy a caminar un rato y a ver si después empiezo a trabajar. 
I feel weird. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m going to walk for a while and then I’ll see if I can start working. 

Conjugation of Hallar

Let’s see how the verb hallar conjugates in present, past, and future tenses. It’s a regular -AR verb that’s easy to learn.

Present Tense Conjugation Chart: Hallar

Hallar is regular in the present tense. 

SpanishEnglish
yo halloI find
tú hallasyou find
él, ella, usted hallahe, she, it finds (formal you find)
nosotros hallamoswe find
ustedes hallanyou find
ellos, ellas hallanthey find

Nos hallamos en un lugar precioso.
We find ourselves in a beautiful place. 

La catedral se halla en la plaza principal.
The Cathedral is located in the main square.

Preterite Tense Conjugation Chart: Hallar

The verb hallar is also regular in all forms of the Spanish preterite tense.

SpanishEnglish
yo halléI found
tú hallasteyou found
él, ella, usted hallóhe, she, it found (formal you found)
nosotros hallamoswe found
ustedes hallaronyou found
ellos, ellas hallaronthey found

Por fin hallé mis llaves. 
Finally, I found my keys.

Hallamos un lugar increíble.
We found an incredible place.

Future Tense Conjugation Chart: Hallar  

You’ll be happy to hear that hallar is also regular in all forms of the Spanish future simple tense.

SpanishEnglish
yo hallaréI will find
tú hallarásyou will find
él, ella, hallaráhe, she, it will find (formal you will find)
nosotros hallaremoswe will find
ustedes hallarányou will find
ellos, ellas hallaránthey will find

¿Hallarán la cura para esta enfermedad?
Will they find a cure for this disease?

If you want to learn more about hallar, look at the entry in Diccionario de la Real Academia Española (Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy).

8 Meanings of the Spanish Verb ‘Encontrar’ 

Let’s see now the other verb encontrar. We’ll cover how and when to use this word, and learn some basic conjugation forms.

1. To Find, to Discover

Same as hallar, encontrar means to find something or someone. No matter whether you’ve been looking for it or not.

Mira lo que encontré, ¡una concha!
Look what I found, a shell!

No encuentro mis llaves. 
I can’t find my keys. 

2. To Consider

Encontrar also means to consider something, to have a particular opinion.

¿Te gusta pescar? No, lo encuentro muy aburrido.
Do you like fishing? No, I find it very dull.

Encuentro admirable su comportamiento. 
I find his behavior admirable. 

3. To Receive a Reaction

Encontrar can also mean “to meet with” a certain reaction, usually support or opposition.

Mi propuesta no encontró oposición.
My offer did not meet with opposition.

Meaning of Pronominal Spanish Verb: Encontrarse

Encontrarse, as a pronominal verb, offers additional meanings.

4. To Be in a Place

Again, like hallarse, encontrarse means to be situated in a place.

La iglesia se encuentra cruzando la calle.
The church is across the street.

Nos encontramos en un lugar sagrado para los Mayas. 
We are in a sacred place for the Mayas. 

5. To Experience a Sensation

Encontrarse also means to sense or feel something.

Después de tomar la medicina me encuentro mejor.
After taking medicine I feel better.

Hoy no me encuentro muy animada.
Today I don’t feel very cheerful.

6. To Meet Unexpectedly

This is a meaning that is not shared with hallarse. Encontrarse can mean to run into someone and it is often used with the preposition con. 

Ayer me encontré con mi compañero de primaria. ¡Qué sorpresa!
Yesterday I ran into a classmate from my primary school. What a surprise!

No me quiero encontrar con mi ex, no voy a ir.
I don’t want to bump into my ex, I’m not going.

7. To Meet

Encontrarse con alguien can also mean a planned meeting.

¿Dónde nos encontraremos? 
Where shall we meet?

Quedamos en encontrarnos en el muelle pero nadie vino.
We arranged to meet at the pier but no one came.

8. To Crash

When talking about vehicles, encontrarse can mean to crash.

Al tomar la curva, giré mal y me encontré con el árbol.
As I rounded the corner, I made a wrong turn and hit the tree.

1 Common Encontrar Expression

There’s also one expression using encontrar that you may use to impress your Spanish-speaking friends.

No encontrarse

This expression means to feel out of place. 

No me encuentro en este ambiente de gente de alta sociedad. 
I don’t belong in this environment of high society. 

Conjugation of Encontrar

Let’s see how the verb encontrar conjugates in the present, past, and future tenses. It’s an irregular -AR verb, so pay attention.

Present Tense Conjugation Chart: Encontrar

Encontrar is irregular in the present tense in all grammatical persons but the “we form.”

SpanishEnglish
yo encuentroI find
tú encuentrasyou find
él, ella, usted encuentrahe, she, it finds (formal you find)
nosotros encontramoswe find
ustedes encuentranyou find
ellos, ellas encuentranthey find

No encuentro un lugar para estacionar.
I can’t find a place to park. 

Nos podemos encontrar a las 7pm si quieres. 
We can meet at 7 pm if you want.

Preterite Tense Conjugation Chart: Encontrar

The verb encontrar is regular in all forms of the Spanish preterite tense.

SpanishEnglish
yo encontréI found
tú encontrasteyou found
él, ella, usted encontróhe, she, it found (formal you found)
nosotros encontramoswe found
ustedes encontraronyou found
ellos, ellas encontraronthey found

Por fin encontré mi cartera. 
Finally, I found my wallet.

Encontramos un lugar ideal para las vacaciones.
We found an ideal place for holidays.

Future Tense Conjugation Chart: Encontrar  

You’ll be happy to hear that encontrar is also regular in all forms of the Spanish future simple tense.

SpanishEnglish
yo encontraréI will find
tú encontrarásyou will find
él, ella, encontraráhe, she, it will find (formal you will find)
nosotros encontraremoswe will find
ustedes encontrarányou will find
ellos, ellas encontraránthey will find

¿Encontrarán a los turistas perdidos en la montaña?
Will they find the tourists lost in the mountains?

If you want to learn more about encontrar, look at the entry in Diccionario de la Real Academia Española (Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy).

Keep Practicing Hallar vs Encontrar

IAs you can see, these two verbs are synonymous in most of their uses. Still, encontrar is more common to be heard in the street, and you won’t get it wrong if you use it in case of doubt.

hope you’re motivated right now to keep learning and you’re comfortable using both hallar and encontrar in a conversation and writing.

Why not sign up for a free trial class with Homeschool Spanish Academy to learn even more? Improving your Spanish can be a game-changer in your career.  Many jobs pay more for being bilingual!

What do you get with HSA online Spanish lessons? Native, authentic Spanish instruction and student-tailored Spanish programs. A certified professional teacher will help you with your grammar doubts and fear of speaking.

Sign up now for a free trial class at Homeschool Spanish Academy, practice hallar vs encontrar (and much more!) in a 1-to-1 conversation! 
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Olga Put
Olga Put
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
I'm a Spanish philologist, teacher, and freelance writer with a Master's degree in Humanities from Madrid. I speak Polish, Spanish, and English fluently, and want to get better in Portuguese and German. A lover of literature, and Mexican spicy cuisine, I've lived in Poland, Spain, and Mexico and I'm currently living and teaching in Madeira, Portugal.
Olga Put
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