Inklingo

How to Say "to meet" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to meet” is “reunirse” — use this when arranging to get together with one or more people at a specific time and place..

reunirse🔊A2

Use this when arranging to get together with one or more people at a specific time and place.

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verse🔊A2

Use this reflexively to arrange a meeting, often in a more informal way, implying you'll 'see each other'.

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encontrarse🔊B1

Use this when people are meeting each other, often implying a planned encounter or a chance meeting.

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conocer🔊A2

Use this specifically for meeting someone for the very first time.

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recoger🔊A2

Use this when you need someone to pick you up or collect something from a specific place.

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cubrir🔊B2

Use this when something, like a scholarship or insurance, covers or pays for expenses.

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reunir🔊C1

Use this when a person or thing possesses or fulfills certain requirements or qualifications.

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English → Spanish

reunirse

rreh-oo-NEER-seh/reuˈniɾse/

verbA2general
Use this when arranging to get together with one or more people at a specific time and place.
A high quality storybook illustration showing two stylized figures, one in a blue shirt and one in a red shirt, standing face-to-face and shaking hands firmly.

Examples

Nos reuniremos en el café a las tres.

We will meet at the cafe at three o'clock.

Siempre se reúnen para celebrar el Año Nuevo.

They always gather to celebrate New Year's.

¿Cuándo te vas a reunir con el jefe?

When are you going to meet with the boss?

The Reflexive Action

The '-se' at the end means the action reflects back onto the subject. If you use the verb 'reunir' (without -se), it means 'to gather something else,' but 'reunirse' means 'to gather yourselves together.'

The Special Accent

In the present tense (like 'yo me reúno'), the accent over the 'u' is essential. It forces the 'u' and 'i' to be pronounced separately (re-Ú-no), not as a quick glide.

Forgetting the Reflexive Pronoun

Mistake: “Yo reúno con mi familia.”

Correction: Yo ME reúno con mi familia. (You must include 'me, te, se, nos, os, se' before the verb, depending on who is meeting.)

verse

/vehr-seh//ˈbeɾse/

verbA2informal
Use this reflexively to arrange a meeting, often in a more informal way, implying you'll 'see each other'.
Two people standing on opposite sides of a path, smiling and waving directly at each other.

Examples

Nos vemos el sábado en el café.

We'll see each other/We are meeting on Saturday at the cafe.

¡Adiós! ¡Nos vemos!

Goodbye! See you!

Ellos se vieron después de muchos años.

They saw each other after many years.

Reciprocal Action

This meaning uses the plural pronouns ('nos' or 'se') because the action goes back and forth between two or more people.

encontrarse

en-kohn-TRAR-seh/enkonˈtɾaɾse/

verbB1general
Use this when people are meeting each other, often implying a planned encounter or a chance meeting.
An illustration showing two friendly people standing face-to-face, smiling, and shaking hands warmly in a park setting, signifying a reciprocal meeting.

Examples

Nos encontramos en la cafetería a las 3:00 p.m.

We are meeting (each other) at the cafeteria at 3:00 p.m.

Ayer se encontraron con su viejo profesor en el supermercado.

Yesterday they ran into their old professor at the supermarket.

Espero encontrarme contigo pronto.

I hope to meet up with you soon.

Reciprocal Action

When used in the plural (nosotros, ellos), 'encontrarse' usually means 'to meet each other'. The reciprocal pronoun (nos, se) shows that the action goes both ways.

Using 'encontrar' instead of 'encontrarse'

Mistake: “Vamos a encontrar en el cine. (We are going to find in the cinema.)”

Correction: Vamos a encontrarnos en el cine. (We are going to meet in the cinema.) 'Encontrar' means 'to find a thing', while 'encontrarse' means 'to meet a person' or 'to be located'.

conocer

/koh-noh-SEHR//kono'seɾ/

verbA2general
Use this specifically for meeting someone for the very first time.
Two cartoon people, one man and one woman, standing in a bright, friendly setting, shaking hands warmly to signify their first meeting.

Examples

Mucho gusto en conocerte.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

Conocí a mi mejor amigo en la escuela.

I met my best friend at school.

Nos conocimos en una fiesta hace dos años.

We met at a party two years ago.

The 'Meeting' Tense

This 'to meet' meaning is most often used in a specific past tense (the preterite). 'Conocí' means 'I met', while 'Conocía' means 'I knew'.

Meeting vs. Meeting Up

Mistake: “Conocí a mis amigos para cenar.”

Correction: For 'meeting up' with people you already know, use verbs like 'reunirse' or 'encontrarse con'. For example, 'Me reuní con mis amigos para cenar.' 'Conocer' is for the very first time.

recoger

reh-koh-HER/reˈko.xeɾ/

verbA2general
Use this when you need someone to pick you up or collect something from a specific place.
A bright yellow school bus stopped at a street corner with a friendly driver waving as a student steps onto the bus.

Examples

¿Puedes recogerme en el aeropuerto mañana?

Can you pick me up at the airport tomorrow?

Mi padre siempre me recoge de la escuela.

My father always picks me up from school.

Using the Personal 'A'

Since you are picking up a person (a specific object), you must use the 'a' right after 'recoger': 'Recojo a mi hermana.'

cubrir

koo-BREER/kuˈβriɾ/

verbB2general
Use this when something, like a scholarship or insurance, covers or pays for expenses.
A hand placing several colorful coins next to a stack of colorful bills on a table, symbolizing payment.

Examples

La beca cubre todos los gastos de matrícula.

The scholarship covers all tuition expenses.

Necesitamos un empleado nuevo para cubrir el puesto de gerente.

We need a new employee to fill the manager position.

Ella tuvo que cubrir el turno de su compañero enfermo.

She had to cover her sick colleague's shift.

reunir

rreh-oo-NEER/re.uˈniɾ/

verbC1formal
Use this when a person or thing possesses or fulfills certain requirements or qualifications.
A bright red, interlocking puzzle piece being placed perfectly and seamlessly into the corresponding empty space on a larger blue puzzle, symbolizing meeting a requirement.

Examples

El candidato no reúne los requisitos mínimos para el puesto.

The candidate does not meet the minimum requirements for the position.

Esta obra reúne belleza y complejidad técnica.

This work possesses beauty and technical complexity.

Formal Usage

In this formal sense, 'reunir' acts as a synonym for 'cumplir' (to fulfill) or 'poseer' (to possess) and is often used in negative statements about qualifications.

Arranging vs. Fulfilling

The most common mistake is confusing verbs for arranging meetings (reunirse, verse, encontrarse) with verbs for fulfilling conditions (reunir) or covering costs (cubrir). Remember that 'reunir' without the reflexive 'se' means to gather or collect, or to fulfill requirements, not to arrange a meeting.

Related Translations

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