Home » Phrasal Verbs » Run into

run into: meaning and explanation

The phrasal verb to run into somebody/something has several different meanings, all of which are very commonly used in everyday conversation.

1. To run into someone = to meet someone unexpectedly

The most common meaning of run into is to meet someone by chance when you weren’t planning to see them.

e.g. I ran into my old school friend at the supermarket yesterday. I hadn’t seen her for years!

This is a very natural and frequently used way to talk about unexpected encounters with people you know. Note that this usage is the same as to bump into somebody.

Here’s an example of this phrasal verb being used (North American accent):

. .

About the sentence

…it was pretty awkward…

In this context, ‘awkward’ is used to describe a sitution that causes embarrassment, discomfort or anxiety. Usually these are social situations.

e.g. No one at the party seemed to know each other, so it was pretty awkward.

Here’s another example in a English (RP) accent:

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2. To run into something = to encounter a problem or difficulty

We also use run into something to talk about encountering problems, difficulties, or obstacles.

e.g. We ran into some technical issues during the presentation, but we managed to sort them out.

e.g. I’m worried we might run into traffic if we leave too late.

As with the first usage, this usage often suggests that the problem was unexpected or unplanned.

Try these dictations to hear this usage in context:

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3. To run into something = to physically collide with something

Finally, the most literal meaning of this phrasal verb is to physically crash or collide with something, usually by accident.

e.g. The car skidded on the ice and ran into a tree.

Here’s an example in context:

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Extra practice

Here are some questions/links to help you learn the new vocabulary:

  • When was the last time you ran into someone you hadn’t seen for a long time? Where did this happen and how did you feel?
  • What kind of problems do you most commonly run into when travelling? How do you usually deal with them?
  • Have you ever run into technical difficulties during an important presentation or meeting? What happened?
  • Do you enjoy running into old friends unexpectedly, or do you prefer planned meetings? Why?
  • What’s the most awkward situation you’ve run into when meeting someone unexpectedly?
  • Have you ever literally run into something because you weren’t paying attention? What happened?
  • When working on projects, what types of obstacles do you typically run into? How do you overcome them?

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Phrasal Verbs

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