| Principal Translations | 
| find [sth]⇒ vtr | (come across) | encontrar⇒ vtr | 
|  |  | encontrarse⇒ v prnl | 
|  | I found ten dollars in the street yesterday. | 
|  | Ayer encontré diez dólares en la calle. | 
| find [sb]⇒ vtr | (encounter) | encontrar a vtr + prep | 
|  |  | encontrarse con, tropezarse con, toparse con v prnl + prep | 
|  | I found John at the station waiting for a taxi. | 
|  | Encontré a Juan en la estación esperando un taxi. | 
| find [sth]⇒ vtr | (recover, retrieve) | encontrar⇒, hallar⇒ vtr | 
|  |  | recuperar⇒ vtr | 
|  | I lost my phone last week but I found it this morning. | 
|  | Perdí mi teléfono la semana pasada, pero lo encontré esta mañana. | 
| find [sth/sb] ([sth])⇒ vtr | (regard, consider) | encontrar⇒ vtr | 
|  | I find modern music rather repetitive. | 
|  | Encuentro la música moderna bastante repetitiva. | 
| find [sb] guilty/not guilty⇒ vtr | (reach verdict on) (derecho) | hallar⇒ vtr | 
|  |  | encontrar⇒ vtr | 
|  | The jury found the defendant guilty on all charges. | 
|  | El jurado halló al acusado culpable de todos los cargos. | 
| find, find that vtr
 | (with clause: learn, discover) (conclusión) | encontrar⇒, hallar⇒ vtr | 
|  | (hallazgo, noticia) | descubrir⇒ vtr | 
|  | We found that the cars performed just as well as each other. | 
|  | Encontramos que los dos autos funcionaban igual de bien. | 
|  | Descubrimos que los dos autos funcionaban igual de bien. | 
| find n | informal (discovery, [sth] found) | hallazgo nm | 
|  | This rare book was really quite a find. | 
|  | Este libro raro fue un verdadero hallazgo. | 
| find [sth]⇒ vtr | (discover, encounter) | encontrar⇒ vtr | 
|  | Leave everything exactly as you found it. | 
|  | Deja todo exactamente como lo encontraste. | 
| find [sth] vtr | (ascertain) | encontrar⇒ vtr | 
|  |  | hallar⇒ vtr | 
|  | (figurado) | llegar a vi + prep | 
|  | It is a problem, and we must find the solution to it. | 
|  | Es un problema y debemos encontrar una solución. | 
| Compound Forms: 
 | 
| a lucky find n | informal (a fortunate discovery) | un hallazgo fortuito nm + adj | 
| chance find n | informal ([sth] discovered by accident) | hallazgo casual nm + adj | 
|  | Fue un feliz hallazgo casual, ese vino que "se les había echado a perder", que se había refermentado, resultó ser "champagne". | 
| find a job v expr | (be hired for work) | encontrar trabajo loc verb | 
|  |  | conseguir trabajo loc verb | 
| find a way v expr | (devise a solution) | encontrar la manera loc verb | 
|  | I don't know how I'll do it, but I'll find a way. | 
|  | No sé cómo pero voy a encontrar la manera. | 
|  |  | encontrar la forma loc verb | 
|  | No sé cómo pero voy a encontrar la forma. | 
|  | (AR, coloquial) | encontrarle la vuelta loc verb | 
|  | No sé cómo pero voy a encontrarle la vuelta. | 
|  | (MX, coloquial) | encontrarle el modo loc verb | 
|  | No sé cómo pero voy a encontrarle el modo. | 
| find fault v expr | (criticize) | criticar⇒ vtr | 
| find fault with [sb/sth] v expr | (criticize [sb/sth]) | criticar a vtr + prep | 
|  |  | criticar⇒ vtr | 
|  |  | buscar defectos loc verb | 
| find favor with [sb] (US), find favour with [sb] (UK) v expr
 | (be liked by) | tener la simpatía de loc verb | 
|  |  | ganarse los elogios de loc verb | 
| find [sb] guilty vtr + adj | often passive (law: convict) | declarar culpable loc verb | 
|  |  | encontrar culpable loc verb | 
|  |  | hallar culpable loc verb | 
|  | Recently, Apple has been found guilty of wilfully infringing on a patent. | 
|  | Recientemente han declarado culpable a Apple de infringir deliberadamente una patente. | 
| find [sb] not guilty v expr | often passive (law: acquit) | encontrar inocente loc verb | 
|  | The jury found the accused man not guilty. | 
| find solace vtr + n | (be comforted, consoled) | encontrar consuelo loc verb | 
| find solace in [sth] v expr | (be comforted, consoled by) | encontrar consuelo en loc verb | 
| find the answer v expr | (devise solution) | encontrar la solución loc verb | 
|  | The problem may seem insoluble right now, but you're sure to find the answer somehow. | 
|  | El problema puede parecer difícil ahora, pero estoy seguro de que encontrarás la respuesta de alguna manera. | 
|  |  | hallar la respuesta loc verb | 
|  | El problema puede parecer difícil ahora, pero estoy seguro de que la hallarás la respuesta de alguna manera. | 
| find the key to [sth] v expr | (to a puzzle, problem) | encontrar la clave loc verb | 
|  | I know I could solve this puzzle if only I could find the key to it. | 
| find the product of [sth] v expr | (mathematics: multiply) | hallar el producto de loc verb | 
|  |  | multiplicar⇒ vtr | 
| find time to do [sth], find the time to do [sth] vtr + n
 | (activity: fit in) | encontrar un tiempo para loc verb | 
|  |  | hacer un tiempo para loc verb | 
|  |  | encontrar un momento para, buscar un momento para loc verb | 
|  |  | sacar tiempo para loc verb | 
|  | I am very busy, but I will try to find time to see you. | 
|  | Estoy muy ocupado, pero trataré de encontrar un tiempo para verte. | 
| find time for [sth], find the time for [sth] vtr + n
 | (activity, event: fit in) (coloquial) | hacer un hueco para loc verb + prep | 
|  |  | encontrar tiempo para loc verb + prep | 
|  |  | tener tiempo para loc verb + prep | 
|  | Many people complain they cannot find time for reading. | 
|  | Mucha gente se queja de que no puede hacer un hueco para leer. | 
| find true love v expr | (meet one's perfect partner) | encontrar el amor verdadero loc verb | 
|  | The romantic teenager hopes to find true love. | 
|  | El romántico adolescente espera encontrar el amor verdadero. | 
| find your bearings, get your bearings v expr
 | (orient yourself) | orientarse⇒ v prnl | 
|  | In the dark forest, the search party had trouble getting their bearings. | 
|  | El equipo de búsqueda tuvo problemas para orientarse en el bosque oscuro. | 
| find your groove v expr | (find passion in life) | encontrar pasión en la vida loc verb | 
| find your level, find your own level v expr
 | (attain right position for your abilities) | encontrar el puesto adecuado según tus habilidades loc verb | 
| find your niche v expr | (find your special role) | encontrar tu lugar en el mundo loc verb | 
|  |  | encontrar tu vocación loc verb | 
|  |  | encontrar tu rincón loc verb | 
|  | Kate found her niche working in agriculture. | 
|  | Kate encontró su lugar en el mundo trabajando en  agricultura. | 
| find yourself vtr + refl | (be, realise you are: in a place) | encontrarse en v prnl + prep | 
|  | Sally went through the wrong door and found herself in the men's restroom. | 
| find yourself vtr + refl | (be, realise you are: in a situation) | encontrarse en v prnl + prep | 
|  | When Kevin was laid off, he and his family found themselves in dire financial circumstances. | 
| find yourself doing [sth] v expr | (be, realise you are: doing [sth]) | encontrarse⇒ v prnl | 
|  |  | encontrarse a uno mismo loc verb | 
|  | She finds herself constantly thinking about the boy from her English class. | 
|  | Ella se encuentra constantemente pensando en el chico de su clase de inglés. | 
| find yourself, discover yourself vtr + refl
 | figurative (find fulfilment) | encontrarse⇒ v prnl | 
|  |  | encontrarse a sí mismo loc verb | 
|  |  | realizarse⇒ v prnl | 
|  | I'm taking a year off to travel the world and find myself. | 
|  | Voy a tomarme un año libre para viajar por el mundo y encontrarme. | 
|  | Voy a tomarme un año libre para viajar por el mundo y encontrarme a mí misma. | 
| hard to find, hard-to-find adj
 | (rare, elusive) | difícil de conseguir loc adj | 
| Note: Hyphens are used when the adjective precedes the noun it modifies. | 
|  | First editions of this book are really hard to find. | 
|  | Las primeras ediciones de este libro son muy difíciles de conseguir. | 
|  |  | difícil de encontrar loc adj | 
|  | Las primeras ediciones de este libro son muy difíciles de encontrar. | 
| hard to find, hard-to-find adj
 | (difficult to locate) | escondido/a adj | 
| Note: A hyphen is used when the adjective comes before the noun it modifies. | 
|  |  | difícil de encontrar loc adj | 
| learn [sth] the hard way, find [sth] out the hard way,
 find out [sth] the hard way v expr
 | (learn from difficult experiences) (informal) | aprender a los golpes loc verb | 
|  |  | aprender por las malas loc verb | 
| please find attached expr | formal, written (see the attached document) | encontrará adjunto, hallará adjunto expr | 
|  | Please find attached a check for $25 for the application fee. | 
| take refuge, find refuge v expr
 | (find shelter or protection) | refugiarse⇒ v prnl | 
|  | When the storm started we ran to the nearest hut and took refuge. | 
|  | Cuando empezó la tormenta corrimos a refugiarnos en la cabaña más cercana. | 
|  |  | hallar refugio loc verb | 
| take refuge in, take refuge in [sth],
 find refuge in,
 find refuge in [sth] v expr
 | figurative (be comforted by) | consolarse⇒ v prnl | 
|  | He took refuge in the fact that his colleagues had all found the project difficult. | 
|  | Se consoló ante el hecho de que todos sus compañeros encontrasen difícil el proyecto. | 
|  |  | ampararse en v prnl + prep | 
|  | Se amparó en el hecho de que todos sus colegas habían encontrado difícil el proyecto. | 
| three-card monte (US), find the lady (UK),
 three-card trick n
 | (card game, confidence trick) (juego) | tres cartas loc nom fpl | 
|  |  | encuentre a la dama loc nom m |