The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Encontrarse is used to give direct orders or instructions for someone to find themselves in a particular situation or location, for example Encuéntrate en la plaza a las 3 p.m. (Find yourself at the plaza at 3 p.m.).

Encontrarse is a stem-changing verb, meaning the vowel in the stem changes from ‘o’ to ‘ue’ in certain conjugations. This pattern is common among Spanish verbs and must be memorized.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Encontrarse (to find oneself) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Encontrarse generally means “to find oneself” or “to be located”, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To be present: For example, Encuéntrate en la fiesta a las 8 p.m. (Be present at the party at 8 p.m.) This usage implies being physically or virtually present somewhere.

To meet up: For example, Encuéntrense en el parque para jugar al fútbol. (Meet up at the park to play soccer.) This conveys the idea of getting together with someone at a specific location.

To find oneself (emotionally): For example, Encuéntrate a ti mismo y sé feliz. (Find yourself and be happy.) This meaning relates to self-discovery and personal growth.

To be in a certain condition: For example, Encuéntrate bien y descansado para el examen. (Be well-rested for the exam.) This usage describes someone’s physical or mental state.

To come across (something): For example, Encuéntrate con la solución pronto. (Come across the solution soon.) This meaning implies finding or stumbling upon something, often unexpectedly.

Colloquial usage: In some Latin American contexts, encuéntrate can be used informally to mean “chill out” or “relax”, as in ¡Encuéntrate, viejo! (Chill out, dude!)

Examples

Examples of Encontrarse in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Encuéntrate conmigo en la plaza a las 6 pm! (Meet me in the plaza at 6 pm!)

Para registrarse, encuéntrese en la recepción del hotel. (To check in, please go to the hotel reception.)

Mamá, encontrémonos en el parque para un picnic familiar. (Mom, let’s meet at the park for a family picnic.)

Amigos, encuéntrense en el bar después del trabajo para unas cervezas. (Friends, meet up at the bar after work for some beers.)

Señor, encuéntrese con el guía turístico en la entrada del museo a las 10 am. (Sir, please meet the tour guide at the museum entrance at 10 am.)

¡Encuéntrate en el gimnasio a las 7 am para nuestra clase de yoga! (Meet at the gym at 7 am for our yoga class!)

Colegas, encontrémonos en la sala de juntas para discutir el nuevo proyecto. (Colleagues, let’s meet in the conference room to discuss the new project.)

Estudiantes, encuéntrense en el patio de la escuela para la asamblea. (Students, gather in the school yard for the assembly.)

¡Encuéntrate conmigo en el parque para un partido de fútbol con los amigos! (Meet me at the park for a soccer game with friends!)

Para recoger su pedido, encuéntrese en el mostrador de servicio al cliente. (To pick up your order, please go to the customer service counter.)

Equipo, encontrémonos en la oficina para revisar los últimos números de ventas. (Team, let’s meet at the office to review the latest sales numbers.)

¡Encuéntrate con nosotros en el festival de música este fin de semana! (Join us at the music festival this weekend!)

Familiares, encuéntrense en la iglesia para la boda de Juana y Pedro. (Family members, gather at the church for Juana and Pedro’s wedding.)

Para obtener su tarjeta de embarque, encuéntrese en el mostrador de facturación. (To get your boarding pass, please go to the check-in counter.)

¡Encontrémonos en el centro comercial para una tarde de compras! (Let’s meet at the mall for an afternoon of shopping!)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Encontrarse (to find oneself) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

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

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.