Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| encontrarse | /enkonˈtɾaɾse/ |
| quedar | /keˈdaɾ/ |
To express the idea of coming face to face with someone by arrangement, you can use different verbs depending on whether you want to emphasize the encounter itself or the arrangement made to meet.
Which one should you use?
The verb encontrarse is a neutral way to emphasize the actual act of meeting or the state of being face to face with someone. In contrast, quedar is used to emphasize the prior arrangement or the act of making an appointment to meet.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The expression quedar con alguien is especially common in Spain. In parts of Latin America, particularly in Argentina and Uruguay, the verb juntarse is commonly used to indicate meeting someone.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When using quedar to mean 'to meet someone,' it is typically used with the preposition 'con' (e.g., quedar con alguien).
How do you pronounce it?
/enkonˈtɾaɾse/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use encontrarse or quedar when they mean 'to meet someone for the first time.' In that specific case, you should use conocer instead.
When do people say it?
When greeting someone for the first time, you can use the polite phrase Mucho gusto to say 'Nice to meet you.'
Did you know?
- In some contexts, quedar can mean 'to remain' or 'to be left over', which is the primary meaning of the word in many Latin American countries.
- The verb quedar has a double meaning and is also used to describe how a piece of clothing fits or looks on someone.
- The word quedar is a linguistic relative of the English words 'quit' and 'quiet'.
Examples in context
- Tomás quiere encontrarse conmigo.Tom wants to meet me.This sentence shows how to use encontrarse to express a desire to meet someone.Tatoeba #5038562 by don_ramon, translation #5038409 by CK
- Ella quiere volver a encontrarse con él.She wants to meet him again.This sentence demonstrates using encontrarse to express wanting to meet someone again.Tatoeba #1369931 by Shishir, translation #887517 by CK
- ¡Todos quieren encontrarse contigo! ¡Eres famoso!Everyone wants to meet you. You're famous!This sentence illustrates the use of encontrarse to express that everyone wants to meet you.Tatoeba #1862085 by marcelostockle, translation #1468 by CK
- Mucho gusto, me llamo María. ¿Le gustaría conocer al señor García?Nice to meet you, my name is María. Would you like to meet Mr. García?
- La reunión está programada para las 3 p.m. Todos nos encontraremos con el Sr. Pérez en la sala de conferencias.The meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. We will all meet with Mr. Pérez in the conference room.
- ¿Podemos vernos con el director de la empresa mañana por la mañana?Can we meet with the company's director tomorrow morning?
- ¿Quedamos mañana por la tarde en el café?Shall we meet tomorrow afternoon at the café?
- Vamos a encontrarnos con los demás en la playa para pasar el día juntos.We are going to meet the others at the beach to spend the day together.
- Vamos a reunirnos en casa de Pedro para planificar nuestras vacaciones.We are going to meet at Pedro's house to plan our vacation.
- He quedado con María para tomar un café esta tarde.I have a date with María to have coffee this afternoon.
- Hoy nos juntamos en la plaza para festejar el cumpleaños de Juan.Today we get together at the square to celebrate Juan's birthday.
- ¿Podemos vernos en el restaurante a las 8 p.m.?Can we meet at the restaurant at 8 p.m.?
- Tengo una reunión formal con mis colegas mañana por la mañana.I have a formal meeting with my colleagues tomorrow morning.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meet” translations and entries encontrarse, quedar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quedar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
