bump into

meet someone by chance, without planning it

B1

What does "bump into sb" mean?

Bumping into someone means you meet them completely by chance — you didn't plan it, arrange it, or expect it. It often happens in everyday places like a supermarket, a café, or on the street. The surprise element is built into the meaning, so you don't need to say 'by chance' — the phrasal verb already tells people the meeting was accidental. It is most commonly used to tell a story about something that has already happened, so you'll hear it a lot in the past tense. This is a very natural, everyday expression used in both British and American English.

Examples

How to use it

bump into + person

The most common pattern — the person you meet always comes directly after 'into'.

I bumped into my old flatmate at the airport this morning.

bump into + pronoun (her / him / them / me)

When using a pronoun, it always goes after 'into', never between 'bump' and 'into'.

She bumped into him outside the gym and they had a long chat.

bump into each other

Use 'each other' when two people meet each other unexpectedly at the same time.

We keep bumping into each other at the farmers' market — it's so funny!

happen to bump into + person

Adding 'happen to' emphasises how coincidental the meeting was.

I happened to bump into my old boss while I was on holiday in Barcelona.

keep bumping into + person

Use 'keep bumping into' to describe when the same unplanned meeting happens repeatedly.

I keep bumping into my neighbour at the coffee shop — we've started sitting together.

Common Collocations

an old frienda colleaguean exa neighboursomeone from schooleach other

Common Mistakes

Separating 'bump' and 'into'

Some learners try to place the object between 'bump' and 'into', but this is always wrong. The object must come after 'into'.

✗ I bumped her into at the library.
✓ I bumped into her at the library.
Using it for planned meetings

'Bump into' always means the meeting was unplanned. Don't use it for arranged meetings — use 'meet' or 'see' instead.

✗ We bumped into each other for coffee at noon, as we had agreed.
✓ We met for coffee at noon, as we had agreed.
Using it with objects instead of people

In the 'chance meeting' sense, the object must be a person. Using an object like a table or a shelf changes the meaning to a physical collision, which is a completely different sense.

✗ I bumped into a great book at the library. (intended meaning: I discovered it)
✓ I came across a great book at the library.

Usage

This phrasal verb is neutral and very common in everyday British and American English. Use it when talking about an unplanned meeting — it always implies the encounter was a surprise, so you don't need to add 'by chance'.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'bump into' always mean a chance meeting, or can it mean something physical too?

It can mean both, but context makes it clear. When the object is a person — like 'I bumped into my teacher' — it almost always means a chance meeting. When the object is a thing — like 'I bumped into the door' — it means a physical collision. The two senses are very rarely confused in real conversations.

Is 'bump into' the same as 'run into'?

Yes, they mean the same thing in this sense — both describe an unexpected meeting with someone. 'Bump into' is slightly more common in British English and 'run into' is slightly more common in American English, but both are widely understood everywhere.

Can I say 'I am bumping into my friend right now'?

This sounds unnatural. Because the encounter happens in a moment and is usually recounted afterwards, the present continuous doesn't work well here. Use the past simple ('I bumped into her') or the present perfect ('I've just bumped into her') instead.

Do I need to say 'by chance' or 'unexpectedly' when I use 'bump into'?

No — you don't need to add those words because 'bump into' already tells the listener the meeting was unplanned. Saying 'I bumped into him by chance' is correct, but 'by chance' is optional, not necessary.

Can 'bump into' be used for meeting someone you don't know?

It's most natural when you already know the person you meet — a friend, a colleague, a neighbour, or someone from your past. It can be used for strangers, but this is less common and the sentence might sound slightly odd without more context.

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