Find out describes getting information you did not have before. You may ask, read or simply hear the news from someone. Know describes having information; find out highlights how you come to have it.

The idea

Use find out about + topic, find out that + statement or find out where + subject + verb. You can also find out the price / find it out. The forms are find–found–found; after did, use find.

Examples

  • Mina found out about the evening class from a neighbour.
  • We found out that the museum is closed on Mondays.
  • Can you find out where the bus stops?
  • Omar wants to find out the price before ordering.
  • I found it out by asking at reception.
  • Lea did not find out the answer until Friday.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic English voice on your device. Quality and availability vary; it does not assess pronunciation.

Watch out

Inside find out where the bus stops, use statement order, not where does the bus stop. For a missing physical key, say find the key. Find out about the key would mean learning information about it.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. Mina ___ out about the class yesterday. (found / finded)

    Show answer or example answer

    found

    The simple past of find is found, not finded.

  2. Choose the correct option. We found out ___ the evening class. (about / that)

    Show answer or example answer

    about

    The noun phrase the evening class names a topic, so it follows about.

  3. Choose the correct option. Can you find out ___? (where the bus stops / where does the bus stop)

    Show answer or example answer

    where the bus stops

    After find out where, use subject–verb order: the bus stops, without does.

Use it today

Choose one fact you learned recently. Say what you found out and how you learned it. Then ask someone to find out where an event takes place.