Phrasal verb
bump into
Definition
phrasal verb. to meet someone you know by chance when you did not plan to see them.
phrasal verb. to encounter someone unexpectedly or by chance. Transitive and inseparable, requiring a direct object representing the person encountered.
Examples
“I bumped into my old teacher at the supermarket today.”
“While I was walking through the park yesterday, I bumped into an old friend I hadn't seen in years.”
“It is always a pleasant surprise when you bump into a former colleague in a foreign city, especially when you are both attending the same professional conference.”
Examples
simple
“I bumped into my old teacher at the supermarket today.”
contextual
“While I was walking through the park yesterday, I bumped into an old friend I hadn't seen in years.”
complex
“It is always a pleasant surprise when you bump into a former colleague in a foreign city, especially when you are both attending the same professional conference.”
Usage
usually followed by a person and implies the meeting was not scheduled.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'run into', which is a near-perfect synonym, and 'meet', which often implies a planned arrangement.
Pitfall
I bumped into with him.
I bumped into him.
the preposition 'into' already connects the verb to the object, so adding 'with' is a grammatical error.
Phrasal verb
Particles
into
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
bump + into + object
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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