ellos encontraban

they were finding, they found

→ encontrar

encontr find + aban 3rd-person plural imperfect (indicative or subjunctive)

verb · third plural · imperfect indicative Rare #40,327

they were finding, they found Imperfect tense (third person plural). Often used for ongoing or habitual past actions, or to set the scene in the past.

SP: Los niños encontraban conchas en la playa.

EN: The children were finding shells on the beach.

Conjugation of encontrar

	Singular	Plural
First	encontrarme	—

encontrar encontrarlo encontrarla encontrarte encontrarse encontrarnos encontrarlos encontrarle encontrarlas

Indicative imperfect

	Singular	Plural
First	encontraba	—
Third	encontraba	encontraban

Subjunctive imperfect

	Singular	Plural
First	encontraba	encontráramos
Third	encontraba	encontraban

En todos los rincones se encontraban cajas llenas de perlas y piedras preciosas.

Everywhere there were boxes full of pearls and precious stones.

En la luna Ío, en aquella zona se encontraban varios volcanes en erupción.

On the moon Io, in that area there were several erupting volcanoes.

Me encontraban tumbada en el suelo delante del coche para que no se fuera.

They found me lying on the ground in front of the car so that he wouldn't leave.

— Las invasiones bárbaras (2003)

Saburo se hizo de todos los bocadillos que se encontraban sobre la mesa.

Saburo grabbed all the snacks that were on the table.

Tenía mucho miedo, creí que moriría si no me encontraban.

I was very scared; I thought I would die if they didn't find me.

— Burning (2018)

En el bosque se encontraban en peligro.

They were in danger in the forest.