Achar vs. Encontrar in Portuguese: Think, Find, or Meet?
Achar can express an opinion or finding; encontrar can mean locating something or meeting someone. The object and context matter.
Real Life Portuguese · 5 min read · Updated October 15, 2026
The short answer
Achar is commonly used for giving an opinion: Acho que vai chover (I think it will rain). It can also mean to find or come across something: Achei a chave na bolsa (I found the key in the bag). The words after achar usually make the meaning clear.
Read the context to tell which meaning achar has
For an opinion, achar que + a clause is a flexible conversational pattern. For a thing you located, the object is often a person, place, or item.
Acho que o restaurante fecha às dez.
I think the restaurant closes at ten.
Achei meu carregador embaixo da cama.
I found my charger under the bed.
O que você achou do filme?
What did you think of the film?
Use encontrar for locating something or meeting someone
Encontrar can mean to find or locate: encontrei um café perto do hotel (I found a café near the hotel). With people, encontrar alguém can mean to meet or run into someone. Encontrar-se com alguém explicitly frames it as meeting up with that person.
Both achar and encontrar can describe finding an object. Encontrar can sound more focused on reaching or coming across the target, while achar is especially common in everyday speech. Avoid memorizing an absolute boundary; learn the phrase as a whole.
Encontrei a Ana no mercado por acaso.
I ran into Ana at the market by chance.
A gente vai se encontrar às seis na entrada.
We’re going to meet at six by the entrance.
Ainda não encontrei uma solução para esse problema.
I still haven’t found a solution to this problem.
Put it into practice
Achar can mean ‘think’ or ‘find’; encontrar can mean ‘find’ or ‘meet.’ Check the object and the rest of the sentence instead of translating either verb one way every time.
Quick practice
Which Portuguese example matches “We’re going to meet at six by the entrance”?
Choose an answer to check yourself.
Keep practicing with the Real Life Portuguese app
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