Procurar vs Buscar in Portuguese: Which One Do You Actually Need?

If you’re wondering what “procurar” means in Portuguese, the short answer is that it means to look for something when you don’t know where it is, in the sense of “trying to find.” The tricky part is that “procurar,” “buscar,” and “pesquisar” all look a lot like Spanish or English cognates, and that trips up almost everyone learning Brazilian Portuguese.

Even though “buscar” exists in Portuguese too, we don’t always use it the way you might expect: here in Brazil we usually say “procurar” when we don’t know where something is, and “buscar” when we’re going to pick it up. On top of that there’s “pesquisar,” which leans more toward researching or looking up information. Getting the difference between buscar and procurar straight is exactly what will keep you from sounding off when you speak.

In this lesson you’ll see what each verb means with real examples: when to use “procurar,” when to use “buscar,” how “pesquisar” is different, and why “investigar” carries a more police or academic tone. By the end, you’ll pick the right verb without hesitating and without falling into that Spanish-Portuguese mix.

Quick summary: which verb should you use?

If you’re in a hurry, this table sums up the difference between the four verbs. Further down you’ll find the videos and examples for each one.

The most common mix-up is between “procurar” and “buscar.” In English “look for” covers both ideas, but in Brazilian Portuguese they split depending on whether or not you know where the thing is. That’s the detail that changes everything.

Video: The difference between procurar, buscar, pesquisar, and investigar

In this video I walk you through the difference between the four verbs slowly and how they actually sound in practice, so you train your ear as well as the theory.

Video: The difference between buscar and procurar

This second video focuses only on the pair that causes the most confusion, “buscar” and “procurar,” with everyday examples so the difference really sticks.

Phrases to practice

Here are real examples of each verb. Read each sentence out loud and pay attention to the context: it’s the fastest way to internalize which one to use in each situation.

Buscar

Used when you’re going to pick up something you already know the location of.

• Vou buscar meu carro que está na oficina.
• Amanhã eu passo aí na sua casa pra buscar o meu cachorro.

There’s another very similar word, “BUSCA,” which is used to mean “a search” – “Uma busca policial que encontrou drogas” (a police search that found drugs).

Extra:

In this “picking up” situation you can also use the verb “pegar.” I recorded a video explaining the different ways to use the verb “pegar” in Portuguese.

For example,  in the sentence above we can swap “buscar” for “pegar”:

• Vou pegar meu carro que está na oficina.
• Amanhã eu passo aí na sua casa pra pegar o meu cachorro.

Now you’ll learn how to use “Procurar” in Portuguese.

Different ways to use “apanhar” in portuguese

Procurar

Used when you don’t know where something or someone is.
– “Vou procurar meu irmão que está por aqui em algum lugar.“
– “Estou procurando uma maneira de resolver isso há 2 dias e até agora nada.“

Whenever you come across “buscar” or “procurar,” jot down the sentence. You can read them every day until it sticks in your memory how to use them correctly.

One useful detail: “procurar” also means “to contact” or “to reach out to” someone in formal Portuguese. For example, “procurar um advogado” means to consult a lawyer, and “a empresa vai te procurar” means the company will get in touch with you.

Investigar

In Portuguese “investigar” is mostly used in the context of a police investigation, similar to “to look into” or “to investigate.”

• A polícia ainda está investigando o caso antes de publicar a foto do suspeito.

Article in Portuguese: Alemanha e França vão investigar origem de artefatos africanos em museus

Pesquisar

This verb is used in academic, scientific, or general information-searching contexts.

For example:

Academic research

• Estou pesquisando sobre o impacto das mudanças climáticas na região.

Looking up information:

• Preciso pesquisar mais sobre esse assunto antes de tomar uma decisão.

Scientific studies:

• Os cientistas estão pesquisando novas formas de tratamento para a doença.

A trick for not confusing “pesquisar” with “procurar”: if what you’re looking for is information (data, a topic, something on Google), use “pesquisar”; if you’re looking for an object or a person in the physical world, use “procurar.”

Article in Portuguese: Tipos de Pesquisa

Common mistakes when using these verbs

These are the slip-ups I see most often from English speakers learning Portuguese. Avoiding them will get you a lot closer to the natural Portuguese we speak in Brazil.

• Using “buscar” for everything, like the English “search.” If you don’t know where something is, in Brazil the natural verb is “procurar,” not “buscar.” Saying “vou buscar minhas chaves” when you don’t know where they are sounds odd; the correct form is “vou procurar minhas chaves.”
• Using “pesquisar” for objects. “Pesquisar” is for information, not physical things. Don’t say “pesquisar minhas chaves“; that should be “procurar.”
• Confusing “investigar” with “pesquisar.” In Portuguese “investigar” carries a police or formal weight. For a university assignment you use “pesquisar,” not “investigar.”

Frequently asked questions