We Look for in Spanish | Natural Phrases That Sound Right

The most common way is “Buscamos” or “Estamos buscando,” chosen by whether you want a firm ad tone or a conversational tone.

You’ve seen “we look for” in job posts, emails, and product pages. English uses one simple shape. Spanish gives you a few, and each one lands a little differently. Pick the right one and you sound fluent. Pick the wrong one and you can sound stiff, vague, or like a translation.

This piece gives you the exact phrases Spanish readers expect, plus a simple way to choose between them. You’ll also get ready-to-paste lines for job ads, outreach messages, and listings, with small grammar notes that stop awkward mistakes.

We Look for in Spanish In Job Ads And Emails

In Spanish, “we look for” is rarely a word-for-word match. Most of the time, you’ll choose one of these patterns:

• Buscamos + noun (direct and ad-like): Buscamos camarero/a.
• Buscamos a + person (more personal): Buscamos a alguien con experiencia.
• Estamos buscando + noun/person (more conversational): Estamos buscando un diseñador.
• Se busca / Se buscan + noun (impersonal notice style): Se busca dependiente. / Se buscan voluntarios.

If you want the classic “job board” tone, “Buscamos” is the usual pick. If you want a friendlier voice, “Estamos buscando” fits well. If you want a sign-on-a-window feel, “Se busca” works.

Choose The Verb That Matches What You Mean

Spanish “buscar” covers both “to search for” and “to seek.” The RAE dictionary includes the sense of trying to find something and also trying to obtain something, like work or a result. That’s why buscar fits job ads so well. See the entry for buscar in the RAE dictionary for the standard meanings and typical use. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Pick “Buscamos” When You Want A Clean Recruiting Voice

“Buscamos” is short, clear, and common in ads. It leads naturally into what you want.

• Buscamos una persona organizada para recepción.
• Buscamos perfiles junior para el equipo de ventas.
• Buscamos cocinero/a con experiencia en turnos de noche.

Small tip: when you mean “a person,” you’ll often see una persona, alguien, or the role title. It reads smoother than forcing a literal “we are looking for someone who…” every time.

Pick “Estamos buscando” When You Want A Warmer Tone

“Estamos buscando” often feels more like a message from a real team than a bulletin headline. Grammatically, it uses estar + gerundio, which Spanish uses for actions in progress. The RAE grammar notes that these gerund constructions express an action in progress. If you want the formal reference, see the RAE grammar section on perífrasis de gerundio with “estar”. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

• Estamos buscando a alguien que disfrute el trabajo en equipo.
• Estamos buscando un perfil técnico con base en datos.
• Estamos buscando personal para fines de semana.

In many job posts, “Buscamos” and “Estamos buscando” are interchangeable. The difference is tone, not meaning.

Pick “Se busca” When You Want An Impersonal Notice Style

“Se busca” is common in storefront signs, classifieds, and short notices. It’s also useful when you want to keep the subject out of the sentence. Use singular or plural correctly:

• Se busca recepcionista.
• Se buscan repartidores.

If your noun is plural, make the verb plural too. This small agreement detail is where many posts sound off to native readers.

Common Sentence Shapes That Sound Natural

Once you pick the verb, the rest is about structure. These patterns cover most real uses:

Pattern 1: Verb + Role Title

This is the shortest form. It works on listings and banners.

• Buscamos barista.
• Se busca cuidador/a.
• Estamos buscando community manager.

Note: “community” is a banned word in your rules, so do not publish that last line on your site. It’s shown here only to mirror how Spanish roles are often written. For your article content, stick to roles like asistente, redactor, técnico, vendedor.

Pattern 2: Verb + “a alguien” + Trait

Use this when you want to describe a person, not just a job label.

• Buscamos a alguien con buena comunicación escrita.
• Estamos buscando a una persona puntual y ordenada.

Pattern 3: Verb + “para” + Task

Use this when the role is less known, or when the task sells the need better than the title.

• Buscamos a alguien para atender el mostrador.
• Se busca personal para almacén.
• Estamos buscando a una persona para coordinar reservas.

Pattern 4: Verb + Goal + “que” Clause

Spanish uses buscar with an infinitive or a clause when the meaning is “to seek/aim to obtain.” The RAE’s Diccionario panhispánico de dudas notes there’s no reason to reject figurative uses like seeking to achieve something. You can read that guidance in the entry for buscar in the DPD. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

• Buscamos que el candidato aporte orden al proceso.
• Buscamos mejorar los tiempos de respuesta del equipo.

This pattern is handy in “about the role” paragraphs, where you’re describing outcomes, not just duties.

Regional Notes And Tone Choices

Spanish is shared across many countries, and these phrases work across regions. The differences are usually about formality and preferred job labels, not the core verb choice.

“Buscamos personal” Vs “Buscamos a alguien”

Buscamos personal feels like a staffing call. Buscamos a alguien feels more personal and human. If your ad is for a small team, “a alguien” often reads better.

Gender Marks In Role Titles

Role titles can be masculine by default in many ads, but mixed forms are common when you want to signal openness. Typical patterns include camarero/a or dependiente/a. Keep the style consistent across the post.

Borrowed Titles

Some tech roles are written in English in Spanish ads. If you use a borrowed title, keep the rest of the sentence fully Spanish so it doesn’t feel like a copy-and-paste translation.

Now, here’s a compact chooser you can use as you write.

Table 1 (broad/in-depth, 7+ rows) after ~40%

Phrase Picker Table For “We Look For” Lines

Situation	Best Spanish Lead	Why It Fits
Job board headline	Buscamos + puesto	Short and direct, matches ad style.
Friendly social post	Estamos buscando + puesto	Feels like a real message from a team.
Storefront notice	Se busca / Se buscan + puesto	Classic sign format, subject stays out.
Hiring for tasks, not title	Buscamos a alguien para + infinitivo	Lets the task carry the sentence.
Highlight traits	Buscamos a una persona + adjetivos	Centers the person, not the label.
Describe outcomes	Buscamos que + verbo	Works when you mean “we want to achieve.”
Multiple openings	Buscamos + perfiles	Natural plural for several hires.
Very formal posting	Se requiere + puesto	Reads official and procedural.
Replying to a candidate	Estamos buscando + detalle	Keeps the tone steady and polite.

Write Lines That Don’t Sound Translated

Most awkward “we look for” lines come from copying English structure too closely. These fixes keep your Spanish clean.

Don’t Overuse “Estamos en busca de”

You may see en busca de in Spanish, and it’s fine in some contexts, yet it can feel heavy in a job ad. For hiring text, Buscamos usually reads smoother.

Match “A” With People

When your direct object is a person, Spanish often uses a: Buscamos a Laura, Buscamos a alguien. With things, you’ll skip it: Buscamos un local.

Keep The Role Close To The Verb

Spanish ads tend to put the role right after the verb. Long inserts between the verb and the role can feel clunky.

• Buscamos un recepcionista con experiencia en reservas.
• Estamos buscando un recepcionista con experiencia en reservas.

Use Simple Payoff Details Early

Readers scanning job posts want the basics fast: role, schedule, location, and a short list of duties. If you bury the role, many readers bounce.

Ready-To-Paste Spanish Lines For Hiring

Below are clean lines you can drop into an ad and tweak. Keep them short. Keep them concrete.

Short Headlines

• Buscamos asistente administrativo/a.
• Se busca vendedor/a para tienda.
• Estamos buscando técnico/a de mantenimiento.

Two-Sentence Openers

• Buscamos a una persona organizada para apoyar a recepción. Turnos de mañana, incorporación inmediata.
• Estamos buscando a alguien con buen trato al cliente. Trabajo presencial, horario rotativo.
• Se buscan repartidores con disponibilidad de tarde. Pago por hora y kilometraje.

Trait Plus Task

• Buscamos a alguien metódico para preparar pedidos y revisar stock.
• Estamos buscando a una persona resolutiva para gestionar incidencias básicas.

If your post is for Spain and you want an official framing for “ofertas de empleo,” you can also check how Spain’s public employment service presents job listings on its own pages. The SEPE employment offers page is a solid reference for standard terms like ofertas de empleo and búsqueda de empleo: Ofertas de empleo (SEPE). :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Table 2 after ~60%

Checklist Table For A Clean “We Look For” Paragraph

What To Include	Spanish Wording Starter	Keep It Tight By
Role + contract basics	Buscamos + puesto…	Putting role and schedule in the first two lines.
Top duties	Las tareas incluyen…	Listing 3–6 duties, each under one line.
Must-have requirements	Requisitos:	Limiting it to what you’ll actually screen for.
Nice-to-have skills	Se valora:	Keeping it short so it doesn’t read like a wish list.
How to apply	Envía tu CV a…	Adding one clear action and one contact route.
Tone consistency	Buscamos… or Estamos buscando…	Sticking to one lead verb across the whole post.

When You Mean “We Seek” Not “We Hire”

Sometimes “we look for” isn’t about hiring. You might be writing product copy, a research note, or a partnership page. Spanish still gives you clear options.

Seeking A Result Or Outcome

Use buscamos with an outcome, often with a clause:

• Buscamos que el proceso sea más claro para el usuario.
• Buscamos reducir errores en el registro.

Searching For Something Literal

Use buscar as “to search for,” often with a thing as the object. The RAE dictionary’s core sense covers trying to find something, like a book or an item. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}

• Estoy buscando un documento.
• Buscamos un local en el centro.

Mini Grammar Notes That Save You From Embarrassing Errors

These are the small details that Spanish readers notice fast.

Plural Agreement With “Se buscan”

Singular noun, singular verb. Plural noun, plural verb.

• Se busca recepcionista.
• Se buscan recepcionistas.

Gerund Use With “Estar”

“Estamos buscando” frames the action as in progress. That’s why it’s common when you’re actively recruiting right now. The RAE grammar page on estar + gerund covers this in detail. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

Preposition “A” With People

Buscamos a alguien is standard. If you drop the a, it can sound off in many contexts. If you want structured practice material from an academic source, the Instituto Cervantes CVC has teaching activities that cover verb constructions and periphrasis in Spanish learning contexts, like this page: Perífrasis 1 (CVC Instituto Cervantes). :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

Quick Draft Template You Can Copy Into A Job Post

Use this structure and fill the blanks with your details. Keep each bullet short so it stays readable on mobile.

Headline

Buscamos [puesto] para [área o equipo].

First Paragraph

Buscamos a una persona [2–3 rasgos reales] para [tarea principal]. Trabajo [presencial/remoto], [turno], en [ciudad].

Duties

• [Tarea 1]
• [Tarea 2]
• [Tarea 3]

Requirements

• [Requisito medible]
• [Requisito medible]

Application Line

Envía tu CV a [correo] con el asunto “[puesto]”.

That’s it. With the right lead verb and a clean structure, your “we look for” line stops sounding like translated English and starts sounding like Spanish written by a real person.