The Imperfect Tense of buscar is used to describe ongoing or repeated actions in the past, for example, Yo buscaba las llaves todos los días. (I was looking for the keys every day.)

Buscar is a regular -ar verb, so its Imperfect conjugations follow the typical pattern for that verb type.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Buscar (to look for) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish):

The imperfect tense of buscar is used to describe ongoing, repeated or habitual actions in the past.

Looking for something: Por ejemplo, Yo buscaba mis llaves todas las mañanas. (I was looking for my keys every morning.)

Seeking or pursuing: Por ejemplo, Mi hermano buscaba un trabajo nuevo. (My brother was seeking a new job.)

Trying to find: Por ejemplo, Buscábamos un lugar para comer. (We were trying to find a place to eat.)

Searching or looking through: Por ejemplo, Ella buscaba en su bolso por las llaves. (She was searching through her purse for the keys.)

Colloquial/Slang usage: Por ejemplo, ¿Qué buscas, güey? (What are you looking for, dude?)

Examples

Examples of Buscar in the Imperfect Tense

Yo buscaba las llaves de mi auto por todas partes. (I was looking for my car keys everywhere.)

Ella buscaba un trabajo que le permitiera pasar más tiempo con su familia. (She was looking for a job that would allow her to spend more time with her family.)

Nosotros buscábamos un restaurante típico donde pudiéramos probar la comida local. (We were looking for a typical restaurant where we could try the local food.)

Tú buscabas la manera de mejorar tu español, ¿verdad? (You were looking for a way to improve your Spanish, right?)

Ellos buscaban un lugar tranquilo para pasar sus vacaciones. (They were looking for a quiet place to spend their vacation.)

Yo andaba buscando un buen libro para leer en mis ratos libres. (I was looking for a good book to read in my free time.)

Ella buscaba una oportunidad para emprender su propio negocio. (She was looking for an opportunity to start her own business.)

Nosotros buscábamos un lugar donde pudiéramos practicar deportes al aire libre. (We were looking for a place where we could practice outdoor sports.)

Tú buscabas un curso de cocina para aprender nuevas recetas, ¿no? (You were looking for a cooking course to learn new recipes, weren’t you?)

Ellos buscaban una manera de ahorrar dinero para su próximo viaje. (They were looking for a way to save money for their next trip.)

Yo andaba buscando un buen mecánico para arreglar mi carro. (I was looking for a good mechanic to fix my car.)

Ella buscaba un nuevo hobby que la ayudara a relajarse después del trabajo. (She was looking for a new hobby that would help her relax after work.)

Nosotros buscábamos un lugar donde pudiéramos celebrar el cumpleaños de nuestro hijo. (We were looking for a place where we could celebrate our son’s birthday.)

Tú buscabas una manera de mejorar tu condición física, ¿cierto? (You were looking for a way to improve your physical condition, right?)

Ellos buscaban un lugar donde pudieran aprender a bailar salsa. (They were looking for a place where they could learn to dance salsa.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Buscar (to look for) in the Imperfect Tense tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperfect tense is also known as the Past Imperfect, Descriptive Past, Past Progressive, or Imperfect Indicative in English, and as Pretérito Imperfecto, Copretérito, Imperfecto de Indicativo, or Pasado Descriptivo in Spanish.