cercar
Catalan
Etymology
From Old Occitan cercar, from Late Latin circāre, present active infinitive of circō, from Latin circa, circus.
Pronunciation
Conjugation
infinitive | cercar | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
present participle | cercant | ||||||
past participle | masculine | feminine | |||||
singular | cercat | cercada | |||||
plural | cercats | cercades | |||||
person | singular | plural | |||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | jo | tu | ell/ella vostè |
nosaltres nós |
vosaltres vós |
ells/elles vostès | |
present | cerco | cerques | cerca | cerquem | cerqueu | cerquen | |
imperfect | cercava | cercaves | cercava | cercàvem | cercàveu | cercaven | |
future | cercaré | cercaràs | cercarà | cercarem | cercareu | cercaran | |
preterite | cerquí | cercares | cercà | cercàrem | cercàreu | cercaren | |
conditional | cercaria | cercaries | cercaria | cercaríem | cercaríeu | cercarien | |
subjunctive | jo | tu | ell/ella vostè |
nosaltres nós |
vosaltres vós |
ells/elles vostès | |
present | cerqui | cerquis | cerqui | cerquem | cerqueu | cerquin | |
imperfect | cerqués | cerquessis | cerqués | cerquéssim | cerquéssiu | cerquessin | |
imperative | — | tu | vostè | nosaltres | vosaltres vós |
vostès | |
— | cerca | cerqui | cerquem | cerqueu | cerquin |
Derived terms
- cercador
- cercapersones
Further reading
- “cercar” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
- “cercar” in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana.
- “cercar” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
- “cercar” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.
Galician
Etymology
From Old Galician and Old Portuguese cercar (13th century, Cantigas de Santa Maria), from Late Latin circāre, present active infinitive of circō, from Latin circa, circus.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /θeɾˈkaɾ/, (western) /seɾˈkaɾ/
Verb
cercar (first-person singular present cerco, first-person singular preterite cerquei, past participle cercado)
- to fence, to wall
- to surround; to besiege
- 1370, R. Lorenzo (ed.), Crónica troiana. A Coruña: Fundación Barrié, page 284:
- por njhũa cousa nonnos leixes partir de Troya, desque a cercaren, ata que non seja tomada et ata que toda sua gent non seja destroýda per gran crueza
- Under no circumstance should you release them from Troia, from the very moment that they surround it, not until it is seized and all of its people is destroyed with great cruelty
- por njhũa cousa nonnos leixes partir de Troya, desque a cercaren, ata que non seja tomada et ata que toda sua gent non seja destroýda per gran crueza
- 1370, R. Lorenzo (ed.), Crónica troiana. A Coruña: Fundación Barrié, page 284:
Conjugation
infinitive | cercar | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gerund | cercando | ||||||
past participle | singular | plural | |||||
masculine | cercado | cercados | |||||
feminine | cercada | cercadas | |||||
person | singular | plural | |||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | eu | ti | el / ela / Vde. | nós | vós | eles / elas / Vdes. | |
present | cerco | cercas | cerca | cercamos | cercades | cercan | |
imperfect | cercaba | cercabas | cercaba | cercabamos | cercabades | cercaban | |
preterite | cerquei | cercaches | cercou | cercamos | cercastes | cercaron | |
pluperfect | cercara | cercaras | cercara | cercaramos | cercarades | cercaran | |
future | cercarei | cercarás | cercará | cercaremos | cercaredes | cercarán | |
conditional | cercaría | cercarías | cercaría | cercariamos | cercariades | cercarían | |
subjunctive | eu | ti | el / ela / Vde. | nós | vós | eles / elas / Vdes. | |
present | cerque | cerques | cerque | cerquemos | cerquedes | cerquen | |
preterite | cercase | cercases | cercase | cercásemos | cercásedes | cercasen | |
future | cercar | cercares | cercar | cercarmos | cercardes | cercaren | |
imperative | — | ti | Vde. | nós | vós | Vdes. | |
affirmative | — | cerca | cerque | cerquemos | cercade | cerquen | |
negative | — | cerques | cerque | cerquemos | cerquedes | cerquen | |
personal infinitive | eu | ti | el / ela / Vde. | nós | vós | eles / elas / Vdes. | |
cercar | cercares | cercar | cercarmos | cercardes | cercaren |
Derived terms
- cercado
- Cercado
References
- “cercar” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006-2012.
- “cerc” in Xavier Varela Barreiro & Xavier Gómez Guinovart: Corpus Xelmírez - Corpus lingüístico da Galicia medieval. SLI / Grupo TALG / ILG, 2006-2016.
- “cercar” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006-2013.
- “cercar” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
- “cercar” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.
Italian
Occitan
Etymology
From Old Occitan cercar, from Late Latin circāre, present active infinitive of circō, from Latin circa, circus.
Conjugation

simple | compound | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
infinitive | cercar | èsser cercat | |||||
past participle | cercat | - | |||||
gerund | cercant | èssent cercat | |||||
person | singular | plural | |||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | ieu | tu | el | nosautres | vosautres | eles | |
present | cerci | cercas | cerca | cercam | cercatz | cercan | |
imperfect | cercavi | cercavas | cercava | cercàvem | cercàvetz | cercavan | |
preterite | cercèri | cercères | cercèt | cercèrem | cercèretz | cercèron | |
future | cercarai | cercaràs | cercarà | cercarem | cercaretz | cercaràn | |
conditional | cercariái | cercariás | cercariá | cercariam | cercariatz | cercarián | |
compound tenses |
present perfect | Use the present tense of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
past anterior | Use the preterite tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
future perfect | Use the future tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | Use the conditional tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que ieu | que tu | que el | que nosautres | que vosautres | que eles | |
present | cerce | cerces | cerce | cercem | cercetz | cercen | |
imperfect | cercèssi | cercèsses | cercèsse | cercèssem | cercèssetz | cercèsson | |
compound tenses |
past | Use the present subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
imperative | - | tu | - | nosautres | vosautres | - | |
cerca | cercem | cercatz |

simple | compound | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
infinitive | cercar | èsser cercat | |||||
past participle | cercat | - | |||||
gerund | cercant | èssent cercat | |||||
person | singular | plural | |||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | ieu | tu | el | nosautres | vosautres | eles | |
present | cerce | cerces | cerca | cercam | cercatz | cercon | |
imperfect | cercave | cercaves | cercava | cercaviam | cercaviatz | cercavon | |
preterite | cercere | cerceres | cercet | cercem | cercetz | cerceron | |
future | cercarai | cercaràs | cercará | cercarem | cercaretz | cercarán | |
conditional | cercariá | cercariás | cercariá | cercariam | cercariatz | cercarián | |
compound tenses |
present perfect | Use the present tense of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
past anterior | Use the preterite tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
future perfect | Use the future tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | Use the conditional tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que ieu | que tu | que el | que nosautres | que vosautres | que eles | |
present | cerce | cerces | cerce | cercassiam | cercassiatz | cercon | |
imperfect | cercesse | cercesses | cercesse | cercessiam | cercessiatz | cercesson | |
compound tenses |
past | Use the present subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
imperative | - | tu | - | nosautres | vosautres | - | |
cerca | cercassiam | cercatz |

simple | compound | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
infinitive | cercar | èsser cercat | |||||
past participle | cercat | - | |||||
gerund | cercant | èssent cercat | |||||
person | singular | plural | |||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | ieu | tu | el | nosautres | vosautres | eles | |
present | cerci | cercas | cerca | cercam | cercatz | cercan | |
imperfect | cercavi | cercavas | cercava | cercàvam | cercàvatz | cercavan | |
preterite | cercèi | cercès | cercè | cercèm | cercètz | cercèn | |
future | cercarèi | cercaràs | cercarà | cercaram | cercaratz | cercaràn | |
conditional | cercarí | cercarés | cercaré | cercarem | cercaretz | cercarén | |
compound tenses |
present perfect | Use the present tense of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
past anterior | Use the preterite tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
future perfect | Use the future tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | Use the conditional tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que ieu | que tu | que el | que nosautres | que vosautres | que eles | |
present | cerci | cerces | cerce | cercem | cercetz | cercen | |
imperfect | cercèssi | cercèsses | cercèsse | cercèssem | cercèssetz | cercèssen | |
compound tenses |
past | Use the present subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
imperative | - | tu | - | nosautres | vosautres | - | |
cerca | cercem | cercatz |

simple | compound | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
infinitive | cercar | èsser cercat | |||||
past participle | cercat | - | |||||
gerund | cercant | èssent cercat | |||||
person | singular | plural | |||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | ieu | tu | el | nosautres | vosautres | eles | |
present | cerce | cercas | cerca | cercam | cercatz | cercan | |
imperfect | cercava | cercavas | cercava | cercàvam | cercàvatz | cercavan | |
preterite | cercei | cerceras | cercet | cercèram | cercèratz | cerceran | |
future | cercarai | cercaràs | cercará | cercarem | cercaretz | cercarán | |
conditional | cercariá | cercariàs | cercariá | cercariam | cercariatz | cercarián | |
compound tenses |
present perfect | Use the present tense of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
past anterior | Use the preterite tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
future perfect | Use the future tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | Use the conditional tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que ieu | que tu | que el | que nosautres | que vosautres | que eles | |
present | cerce | cerces | cerce | cercem | cercetz | cercen | |
imperfect | cercèsse | cercèsses | cercèsse | cercèssem | cercèssetz | cercèssen | |
compound tenses |
past | Use the present subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
imperative | - | tu | - | nosautres | vosautres | - | |
cerca | cercem | cercatz |

simple | compound | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
infinitive | cercar | èsser cercat | |||||
past participle | cercat | - | |||||
gerund | cercant | èssent cercat | |||||
person | singular | plural | |||||
first | second | third | first | second | third | ||
indicative | ieu | tu | el | nosautres | vosautres | eles | |
present | cerce | cerces | cerca | cercam | cercatz | cercan | |
imperfect | cercavi | cercavas | cercava | cercàvem | cercàvetz | cercavan | |
preterite | cercère | cercères | cercèt | cerceriam | cerceriatz | cercèron | |
future | cercarai | cercaràs | cercarà | cercarem | cercaretz | cercaràn | |
conditional | cercariáu | cercariás | cercariá | cercariam | cercariatz | cercarián | |
compound tenses |
present perfect | Use the present tense of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
past anterior | Use the preterite tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
future perfect | Use the future tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
conditional perfect | Use the conditional tense of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
subjunctive | que ieu | que tu | que el | que nosautres | que vosautres | que eles | |
present | cerce | cerces | cerce | cercem | cercetz | cercan | |
imperfect | cercèsse | cercèsses | cercèsse | cercessiam | cercessiatz | cercèsson | |
compound tenses |
past | Use the present subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | |||||
pluperfect | Use the imperfect subjunctive of Aver plus the past participle | ||||||
imperative | - | tu | - | nosautres | vosautres | - | |
cerca | cercem | cercatz |
Derived terms
Related terms
Further reading
- Joan de Cantalausa (2006) Diccionari general occitan a partir dels parlars lengadocians, 2 edition, ISBN 9782912293046, page 243.
Portuguese
Etymology
From Old Portuguese cercar, from Late Latin circāre, present active infinitive of circō, from Latin circa, circus.
Conjugation
Derived terms
Spanish
Etymology
From Old Spanish cercar, from Late Latin circāre, present active infinitive of circō, from Latin circa, circus.
Verb
cercar (first-person singular present cerco, first-person singular preterite cerqué, past participle cercado)
Conjugation
- c becomes qu before e.
infinitive | cercar | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
gerund | cercando | ||||||
past participle | masculine | feminine | |||||
singular | cercado | cercada | |||||
plural | cercados | cercadas | |||||
singular | plural | ||||||
1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | 1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | ||
indicative | yo | tú vos |
él/ella/ello usted |
nosotros nosotras |
vosotros vosotras |
ellos/ellas ustedes | |
present | cerco | cercastú cercásvos |
cerca | cercamos | cercáis | cercan | |
imperfect | cercaba | cercabas | cercaba | cercábamos | cercabais | cercaban | |
preterite | cerqué | cercaste | cercó | cercamos | cercasteis | cercaron | |
future | cercaré | cercarás | cercará | cercaremos | cercaréis | cercarán | |
conditional | cercaría | cercarías | cercaría | cercaríamos | cercaríais | cercarían | |
subjunctive | yo | tú vos |
él/ella/ello usted |
nosotros nosotras |
vosotros vosotras |
ellos/ellas ustedes | |
present | cerque | cerquestú cerquésvos2 |
cerque | cerquemos | cerquéis | cerquen | |
imperfect (ra) |
cercara | cercaras | cercara | cercáramos | cercarais | cercaran | |
imperfect (se) |
cercase | cercases | cercase | cercásemos | cercaseis | cercasen | |
future1 | cercare | cercares | cercare | cercáremos | cercareis | cercaren | |
imperative | — | tú vos |
usted | nosotros nosotras |
vosotros vosotras |
ustedes | |
affirmative | cercatú cercávos |
cerque | cerquemos | cercad | cerquen | ||
negative | no cerques | no cerque | no cerquemos | no cerquéis | no cerquen |
- 1 Mostly obsolete form, now mainly used in legal jargon.
- 2 Argentine and Uruguayan voseo prefers the tú form for the present subjunctive.
These forms are generated automatically and may not actually be used. Pronoun usage varies by region.
singular | plural | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | 1st person | 2nd person | 3rd person | ||
with infinitive cercar | |||||||
dative | cercarme | cercarte | cercarle, cercarse | cercarnos | cercaros | cercarles, cercarse | |
accusative | cercarme | cercarte | cercarlo, cercarla, cercarse | cercarnos | cercaros | cercarlos, cercarlas, cercarse | |
with gerund cercando | |||||||
dative | cercándome | cercándote | cercándole, cercándose | cercándonos | cercándoos | cercándoles, cercándose | |
accusative | cercándome | cercándote | cercándolo, cercándola, cercándose | cercándonos | cercándoos | cercándolos, cercándolas, cercándose | |
with informal second-person singular imperative cerca | |||||||
dative | cércame | cércate | cércale | cércanos | not used | cércales | |
accusative | cércame | cércate | cércalo, cércala | cércanos | not used | cércalos, cércalas | |
with formal second-person singular imperative cerque | |||||||
dative | cérqueme | not used | cérquele, cérquese | cérquenos | not used | cérqueles | |
accusative | cérqueme | not used | cérquelo, cérquela, cérquese | cérquenos | not used | cérquelos, cérquelas | |
with first-person plural imperative cerquemos | |||||||
dative | not used | cerquémoste | cerquémosle | cerquémonos | cerquémoos | cerquémosles | |
accusative | not used | cerquémoste | cerquémoslo, cerquémosla | cerquémonos | cerquémoos | cerquémoslos, cerquémoslas | |
with informal second-person plural imperative cercad | |||||||
dative | cercadme | not used | cercadle | cercadnos | cercaos | cercadles | |
accusative | cercadme | not used | cercadlo, cercadla | cercadnos | cercaos | cercadlos, cercadlas | |
with formal second-person plural imperative cerquen | |||||||
dative | cérquenme | not used | cérquenle | cérquennos | not used | cérquenles, cérquense | |
accusative | cérquenme | not used | cérquenlo, cérquenla | cérquennos | not used | cérquenlos, cérquenlas, cérquense |