# bump into

CEFR B1 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/bump-into
Updated: 2026-10-22

## Definition

to meet someone you know by chance when you did not plan to see them.

For teachers: 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.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I bumped into with him." but "I bumped into him." — the preposition 'into' already connects the verb to the object, so adding 'with' is a grammatical error.

## Usage notes

- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.