искать vs разыскивать

iskat vs razyskivat — look for/search vs track down/search officially

What it really means

Искать is the broad imperfective verb for looking for a person, object, answer, or place. Разыскивать is also imperfective but implies an intensive, organized, or official search, especially for a missing person or wanted suspect; it is more formal and less suitable for everyday lost items.

Examples in natural speech

Я ищу ключи на кухне.
I am looking for the keys in the kitchen.
Мы ищем новую квартиру.
We are looking for a new apartment.
Полиция разыскивает пропавшего ребёнка.
The police are searching for the missing child.
В объявлении указано, что его разыскивают.
The notice says that he is wanted.
Она ищет ответ в справочнике.
She is looking for the answer in a reference book.

Common mistakes

Do not use разыскивать as a fancy synonym for a casual search: разыскивать носки sounds humorous or official. Both verbs are imperfective; the perfective search result is найти, while разыскать emphasizes tracking down.

Memory tip

Искать is any search; разыскивать sounds like a notice, investigation, or determined hunt.

Frequently asked questions

Does разыскивать imply the person is missing?

Often, especially in police language, but it can also mean deliberately tracking down a person or information without a disappearance.

What preposition and case follow искать?

A direct object is accusative: искать ключи, искать работу; искать по адресу uses по with the dative.

What is the perfective counterpart of искать?

Найти means find successfully; разыскать means track down, with a more deliberate or official nuance.

Note: This site uses JavaScript for interactive drills, audio playback, and progress tracking. Please enable JavaScript for the full experience.