Trobarse

Trobar-se is a pronominal verb used in Catalan and Occitan to express the idea of finding oneself, being located somewhere, or meeting someone. It can indicate physical location, states of being, or encountering another person. In its non-reflexive sense, trobar means “to find.” The reflexive form adds a sense of being or ending up in a situation, as in em trobo cansat (I feel tired) or es troba al carrer Major (it is located on Major Street).

Etymology and related forms: The verb derives from Occitan trovar, cognate with the Romance verb family that includes French trouver and Italian trovare, all rooted in a common Latin-Vulgar base. In medieval Occitan culture, the related noun trobar referred to the craft of composing poetry, giving rise to the term troubadour (trobador in Occitan), a link that highlights the broader semantic field of discovery and creation.

Usage notes: To express location, the passive-like form es troba or es troben is used, for example, La casa es troba al carrer Major (The house is located on Major Street). To indicate meeting someone, trobar-se is used with additional elements such as amb or with a direct encounter: Ens vam trobar amb un amic al mercat (We ran into a friend at the market). The verb conjugates as a pronominal verb: present tense forms include em trobo, et trobes, es troba, ens trobem, us trobeu, es troben.

See also: Trobar, Occitan language, Troubadour.