искать vs найти

iskát' vs naytí — to look for vs to find

What it really means

"Искать" means to look for or search — the process of trying to locate something. "Найти" means to find or locate successfully — the completed result of the search. This is another common imperfective/perfective pair.

Use искать when the search is ongoing or repeated: "Я ищу ключи" (I am looking for my keys). Use найти when the important point is that the object was found: "Я нашёл ключи" (I found my keys).

Examples in natural speech

Я ищу свои ключи.
I am looking for my keys.
Я нашёл свои ключи.
I found my keys.
Она ищет новую работу.
She is looking for a new job.
Наконец-то она нашла работу.
At last she found a job.
Где ты нашёл эту книгу?
Where did you find this book?

Common mistakes

Do not use найти for an unfinished search: "Я нахожу ключи" does not normally mean I am looking for my keys. Say "Я ищу ключи." Найти focuses on the successful result and has irregular past forms: нашёл, нашла, нашли.

Memory tip

"Искать" is the hunt; "найти" is the discovery at the end of it.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between искать and найти in Russian?

"Искать" means to look for something and focuses on the search process. "Найти" means to find something and focuses on the successful result.

How do you say I am looking for my keys in Russian?

Say "Я ищу свои ключи." Ищать/искать is the ongoing search verb; do not use найти unless you have found them.

What is the past tense of найти?

The past forms are нашёл (masculine), нашла (feminine), нашло (neuter), and нашли (plural). The root changes from най- to наш-.

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