localizar
verbCEFR B2
What does “localizar” mean in English?
to locate, to find
to locate, to find (localizar a alguien/algo — find the exact position or whereabouts of something or someone)
Example sentences
Los servicios de emergencia tardaron varias horas en localizar a los excursionistas perdidos en la montaña.
The emergency services took several hours to locate the hikers who had gone missing in the mountains.
La policía logró localizar el vehículo gracias a las cámaras de seguridad instaladas en la zona.
The police managed to locate the vehicle using the security cameras installed in the area.
Llevo horas intentando localizarte; ¿por qué no contestas al teléfono ni respondes a los mensajes?
I have been trying to reach you for hours; why aren't you answering the phone or responding to messages?
How to use it
Localizar means 'to locate', 'to find', or 'to get hold of'. Structure: localizar a alguien/algo (locate/find someone/something). At B2, it appears in emergency, investigative, and technological contexts: localizar a los desaparecidos (locate the missing), localizar una señal (locate a signal), localizar al responsable (track down the person responsible). Don't confuse with encontrar (find — more general, can be accidental) or detectar (detect — identify a hidden or problematic element).
Common mistake
Localizar (find by actively searching/tracing) vs. encontrar (find — can be accidental or deliberate). 'Encontré las llaves' (I found the keys — possibly by chance). 'Localizaron al sospechoso en una ciudad fronteriza' (they located the suspect — deliberate search with result). Localizar always implies a directed search effort.