Grammar Question: Trovi or Trovas?

Question

On Duolingo I got a question wrong because I used trovas instead of trovi; then, I got the next one wrong because I did the opposite.

When should I use trovi and when should I instead use trovas?

Answer 1

trovas is what you would normally use. The -as ending means that it is in the present tense. For example:

I find trees in the garden -> Mi trovas arbojn en la ĝardeno

You would use trovi in cases where it is being used in combination with another verb. This is called the infinitive. In English the infinitive is sometimes the to form (like to find) and sometimes the -ing form (like finding). For example:

I like finding trees -> Mi ŝatas trovi arbojn

In this case the main verb is ŝatas. That one is in the present tense so it ends with -as. The second verb trovi doesn’t have its own tense and it’s only used in conjuction with the main verb. Therefore it is in the infinitive and it ends with -i.