Bump into meaning
Bump into means to meet someone you know by chance. It can also mean to hit someone or something by accident while moving.
bump into somebody
bump into · bumped · bumping
I bumped into my old teacher at the supermarket.
Bump into meanings and examples
2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
-
1
Meet someone you know by chance
bump into somebody
- I bumped into my old teacher at the supermarket.
- Guess who I bumped into on the bus this morning!
- If you bump into Sara, tell her to call me.
-
2
Hit someone or something by accident while moving
bump into somebody or something
- Sorry, I didn’t see you. I bumped into you.
- He was texting and bumped into a lamp post.
- Be careful not to bump into the table with that tray.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use bump into in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is bump into separable?
Bump into is not separable. The person comes after into: I bumped into Tom, I bumped into him.
It is informal. Run into means the same and is just as common. In writing, you could say meet by chance.
Verb tenses for bump into
| Present | I bump into · she bumps into |
|---|---|
| Past | bumped into |
| Present perfect | have bumped into |
| -ing form | bumping into |
Common mistakes with bump into
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: I bumped him into at the gym.
Right: I bumped into him at the gym.
Bump into is not separable; the person goes after into.
Wrong: I bumped to my cousin in town.
Right: I bumped into my cousin in town.
The particle is into, not to.
Wrong: Let’s bump into each other at six at the café.
Right: Let’s meet at six at the café.
Bump into is only for meetings you did not plan.
Synonyms and opposites of bump into
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- run intothe same meaning, and also used for meeting problems
- come acrossfind a thing or meet a person by chance
- meet upmeet someone because you planned it
Opposite
- arrange to meetplan a meeting with someone
- avoidstay away from someone on purpose
Bump into quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
-
1I ___ my neighbour at the airport. What a surprise!
Bump into someone means meet them by chance.
-
2Choose the right sentence.
The person goes after into, and the particle is into.
-
3“I was looking at my phone and bumped into a man.” What happened?
Here bump into means hit someone by accident.
Find your level
The phrasal verbs test adapts as you answer, from A2 to C1, and shows which ones you miss.
- get intoA2go inside a car, a building or a small space
- go intoA2enter a place
- turn intoB1change and become something different
- look intoB2examine the facts about a problem to find out the cause
- break intoB2get into a building or car by force, usually to steal
- run intoB2meet someone you know when you did not expect to
Bump into FAQ
Questions people ask about bump into.
What is the difference between bump into and run into?
For meeting someone by chance, they mean the same. Run into is also used for problems: We ran into traffic. Bump into is not used for problems.
Is bump into informal?
Yes, it is informal and very common in speech. In a formal email, say I happened to meet or I met by chance.
What is the past tense of bump into?
Bumped into: We bumped into each other at the station.
Use bump into in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.