averiguar
find out · find
Buscar información para conocer o descubrir algo que no se sabe.
Definition & meaning
Averiguar means to find out, ascertain, or investigate something by asking questions, searching, or examining evidence.
- Voy a averiguar qué pasó. — I’m going to find out what happened.
- La policía averigua las causas del accidente. — The police are investigating the causes of the accident.
Grammar & Word origin
Averiguar is a transitive -ar verb, often followed by a noun or an indirect question such as qué pasó (“what happened”).
In spelling, g changes to gü before e to preserve its sound: averigüé (“I found out”).
It comes from Latin verificare, meaning “to verify” or “make true.”
Synonyms & antonyms
- investigar — to investigate; emphasizes the process of inquiry rather than necessarily reaching an answer.
- descubrir — to discover; emphasizes finding something previously unknown, not necessarily through deliberate investigation.
- indagar — to inquire or investigate; generally more formal and focused on seeking information.
- ignorar — to be unaware of something; contrasts with knowing, though it is not a direct opposite of the process of finding out.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Necesitamos averiguar qué ocurrió anoche.verb
We need to find out what happened last night.
Yo quiero averiguar más sobre el tema.verb
I want to find out more about the topic.
Necesitamos averiguar la verdad sobre ese incidente.verb
We need to find out the truth about that incident.
Averiguaré qué ocurrió anoche.verb
I will find out what happened last night.
No averigüé sobre el tema.verb
I didn't find out about the topic.
Quiero averiguar quién dejó la puerta abierta.verb
I want to find out who left the door open.
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