Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'run into' when you meet someone you know unexpectedly without having planned it beforehand.
- Always use 'run into' + [person] (e.g., 'I ran into Tom').
- Never separate the verb: 'run Tom into' is incorrect.
- It implies a surprise; don't use it for planned meetings.
Overview
meet 以外の言い回しに戸惑うことはありませんか？例えば、コンビニで偶然昔の友人に会った時、I met my friend at the convenience store と言うと、まるで「そこで待ち合わせをしていた」かのような響きになり、少し違和感があります。日本語では「偶然会う」や「ばったり会う」と表現しますが、英語にはこれを一言で表す非常に便利な句動詞（phrasal verb）があります。それが run into です。run into は、単なる移動の動作ではなく、予期せぬ遭遇を指すとても自然な表現です。日本語の「ばったり会う」や「出くわす」に相当しますが、この表現を使いこなせるようになると、あなたの英語は一気にネイティブらしい「こなれた」響きになります。特に日本人は「会う＝meet」と直訳しがちですが、meet は計画性のある出会いや、初めての紹介に使われることが多く、偶然の出会いには適していません。この run into を習得することは、日常会話の質を一段階引き上げるための重要なステップです。電車の中やカフェで誰かを見かけた時、あるいは仕事中に予期せぬトラブルが発生した時、この表現があなたの助けになるはずです。run into は、動詞 run と前置詞 into が組み合わさった句動詞です。日本語の文法には「句動詞」という概念は存在しませんが、あえて例えるなら、日本語の「動詞＋補助動詞」の組み合わせに近い感覚です。例えば「走り込む」や「ぶつかる」といった動作のニュアンスが含まれています。run into の場合、run が「遭遇する」という核となる意味を持ち、into が「〜の中へ」という方向性を示します。この組み合わせが「ある状況や人の中に突発的に入り込む」というイメージを作り出します。run into というセットで覚え、その後にすぐ対象（人や物）を置きます。I ran into my teacher at the station yesterday となります。ここで重要なのは、run の時制を変えるだけで、into は常にそのままの形であるという点です。これは日本語の活用（会う、会った、会っている）とは全く異なるルールですが、一度覚えてしまえば非常にシンプルです。run into の基本形は Subject + run/runs/ran/running + into + Object です。以下に時制ごとの変化をまとめました。run into my neighbors at the supermarket. |ran into his ex-boss yesterday. |running into some problems. |run into this issue before. |run が不規則動詞であることに注意してください。過去形は ran、過去分詞は run です。また、into の後ろに来る Object は人だけでなく、物や抽象的な概念（問題など）でも構いません。例えば、「渋滞に巻き込まれる」と言いたい時、英語では I ran into traffic と表現します。これは日本語の「渋滞に出くわす」という感覚と非常に近く、直感的に理解しやすいはずです。run into は主に以下の3つのシチュエーションで使われます。- 1人との偶然の再会: 街中、カフェ、電車、あるいは就活中の面接会場などで、予定していなかった知り合いを見かけた時です。「本当に偶然！」というニュアンスを強調できます。
- 2予期せぬ問題やトラブルへの遭遇: 仕事中にエラーが出たり、計画通りにいかない事態に直面したりした時に使います。「トラブルに出くわす」という日本語の表現と完全に一致します。
- 3物事の発見: 整理整頓をしていて昔の写真を見つけた、あるいはネットサーフィン中に面白い記事を見つけた、といった場合にも使えます。
meet です。しかし、約束していないのにカフェで会ったなら run into です。この「意図的か、偶然か」の区別が、ネイティブスピーカーが会話の中で無意識に行っている判断基準です。- 1
meetとの混同: 「昨日、友達に会った」をI met my friend yesterdayと言うと、約束して会ったように聞こえます。偶然会った場合は必ずran intoを使いましょう。これは日本語の「会う」が一語で表現されるため、英語でもmeet一択だと誤解していることが原因です。 - 2不適切な前置詞:
run withやrun toと言ってしまうミスです。これは日本語の「〜と会う（with）」という助詞の感覚をそのまま英語に持ち込んでいるためです。run intoはセットで一つの動詞として記憶する必要があります。 - 3フォーマルな場での使用:
run intoは少しカジュアルな表現です。ビジネスの公式なメールや非常に堅いプレゼンで使うと、少し軽すぎる印象を与えることがあります。その場合はencounterやexperienceを使うのが無難です。日本語の「丁寧語・敬語」の切り替えと同じ感覚で、文脈に合わせて使い分けましょう。
run into と似た表現との違いを明確にしましょう。run into | 偶然の出会い、突発的な問題 | 人、問題、障害 |bump into | 物理的な衝突、または軽い偶然の出会い | 人（物理的接触が強い） |come across | 偶然見つける、発見する | 物、情報、アイデア |bump into は「ぶつかる」という物理的な接触のイメージが強く、come across は「（探していたわけではないが）見つける」という発見のプロセスに焦点が当たります。これらの使い分けができるようになると、英語の表現力が格段に向上します。run into は物に対しても使えますか？I ran into a wall と言えば物理的に壁にぶつかった意味になりますし、I ran into a problem と言えば問題に直面したという意味になります。非常に汎用性が高いです。run into を使えますか？I ran into him と言っても問題ありません。ただし、自分の中では計画的だったので、I went there hoping to see him と言う方がより正確です。run into は過去形以外でも使えますか？I often run into her（よく彼女に出くわす）のように現在形で習慣を表すこともできますし、We might run into some trouble（トラブルに巻き込まれるかもしれない）のように未来の可能性を話す時にも使えます。時制を自由に操る練習をしてみてください！Conjugating 'Run Into'
| Tense | Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Present Simple
|
I/You/We/They
|
run into
|
I often run into him.
|
|
Present Simple
|
He/She/It
|
runs into
|
She runs into her friends.
|
|
Past Simple
|
All subjects
|
ran into
|
We ran into them yesterday.
|
|
Present Continuous
|
All subjects
|
am/is/are running into
|
I'm always running into her!
|
|
Present Perfect
|
All subjects
|
have/has run into
|
I have run into him twice.
|
|
Future (Will)
|
All subjects
|
will run into
|
You will run into her later.
|
Meanings
To meet someone by chance or unexpectedly while in a public place or during daily activities.
Unexpected Meeting
To encounter a person you know without an appointment.
“Guess who I ran into at the gym?”
“I hope I don't run into my ex at this party.”
Experience Problems
To start to experience difficulties or opposition.
“The project ran into some technical hitches.”
“We've run into a bit of a problem with the budget.”
Physical Collision
To accidentally hit something or someone while moving, usually in a vehicle.
“The bus ran into a lamp post.”
“I almost ran into a cyclist because I didn't see him.”
Total Amount
To reach a specific (usually large) number or amount.
“The cost of the repairs will run into thousands of dollars.”
“The number of applications has run into the hundreds.”
Reference Table
| 使用場面 | 例文 | なぜ「run into」を使うのか？ | 別の言い方（計画的な場合） |
|---|---|---|---|
|
予期せず人に会う
|
I `ran into` my old boss at the airport.
|
偶然の出会い。
|
I `met` my old boss for lunch.
|
|
予期せぬ問題に遭遇する
|
We `ran into` a bug during testing.
|
問題が突然現れた。
|
We *addressed* a known bug.
|
|
偶然何かを発見する
|
She `ran into` a rare book at the market.
|
偶然の発見。
|
She *looked for* a rare book.
|
|
カジュアルな出会い
|
Guess who I `ran into` at the grocery store?
|
気まぐれで、自発的。
|
Who did you *meet* for coffee?
|
|
困難を経験する
|
The project `ran into` some delays.
|
困難が予期せず生じた。
|
The project *faced* planned delays.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
I encountered a former colleague by chance. (Professional/Social)
I ran into an old coworker. (Professional/Social)
I bumped into a guy I used to work with. (Professional/Social)
I caught my old work mate out and about. (Professional/Social)
レベル別の例文
I ran into my friend at the shop.
Me encontré con mi amigo en la tienda.
Did you run into Tom today?
¿Te encontraste con Tom hoy?
I did not run into anyone.
No me encontré con nadie.
She ran into her mom at the park.
Ella se encontró con su mamá en el parque.
I ran into an old classmate yesterday.
Me encontré con un antiguo compañero de clase ayer.
We often run into each other at the library.
A menudo nos encontramos en la biblioteca.
He ran into a tree with his bike.
Chocó contra un árbol con su bicicleta.
I hope I don't run into my boss here.
Espero no encontrarme con mi jefe aquí.
I ran into my former neighbor while I was on vacation in Italy.
Me encontré con mi antiguo vecino mientras estaba de vacaciones en Italia.
The company ran into financial trouble last year.
La empresa tuvo problemas financieros el año pasado.
If you run into any problems, just give me a call.
Si te encuentras con algún problema, solo llámame.
It's a small world; I keep running into people I know.
Es un mundo pequeño; no dejo de encontrarme con gente que conozco.
The renovation costs are likely to run into the tens of thousands.
Es probable que los costos de renovación alcancen las decenas de miles.
Our proposal ran into a lot of criticism during the meeting.
Nuestra propuesta recibió muchas críticas durante la reunión.
I ran into Sarah, of all people, at the most remote café in town.
Me encontré con Sarah, de entre todas las personas, en el café más remoto de la ciudad.
The car ran into the barrier, but luckily no one was hurt.
El coche chocó contra la barrera, pero por suerte nadie resultó herido.
The project ran into a series of unforeseen logistical hurdles.
El proyecto se topó con una serie de obstáculos logísticos imprevistos.
I'm terrified of running into my ex-partner and having to make small talk.
Me aterra encontrarme con mi ex y tener que charlar trivialmente.
His debts have run into six figures, which is quite concerning.
Sus deudas han alcanzado las seis cifras, lo cual es bastante preocupante.
The new policy ran into stiff opposition from the local community.
La nueva política se topó con una fuerte oposición de la comunidad local.
The narrative ran into a bit of a cul-de-sac in the second act.
La narrativa se metió en un callejón sin salida en el segundo acto.
Should the negotiations run into a stalemate, we have a contingency plan.
En caso de que las negociaciones lleguen a un punto muerto, tenemos un plan de contingencia.
The research ran into a wall when the funding was abruptly cut.
La investigación se topó con un muro cuando se cortó abruptamente la financiación.
I happened to run into the CEO in the elevator, which gave me a chance to pitch my idea.
Casualmente me encontré con el CEO en el ascensor, lo que me dio la oportunidad de presentar mi idea.
間違えやすい
Learners use 'run into' for objects and 'run across' for people.
Learners use 'run into' for planned social events.
Thinking they have different meanings.
よくある間違い
I ran into with my friend.
I ran into my friend.
I run into him yesterday.
I ran into him yesterday.
I ran my friend into.
I ran into my friend.
I ran into to him.
I ran into him.
I ran into my boss for a meeting.
I met my boss for a meeting.
I ran into a new person today.
I met a new person today.
I was running into him at 5 PM.
I ran into him at 5 PM.
The car ran in a tree.
The car ran into a tree.
I ran into some problems with my car.
I ran into some problems with my car.
I ran into him since a long time.
I haven't run into him for a long time.
The costs ran into millions of dollars.
The costs ran into the millions.
文型パターン
I ran into ___ at the ___.
You won't believe who I ran into: ___!
The project ran into ___ because of ___.
I'm always running into ___ whenever I ___.
Real World Usage
OMG, just ran into your brother at the mall!
In my last role, we ran into some supply chain issues.
Ran into this one at the beach today! ☀️
We ran into a group of hikers who gave us directions.
The suspect ran into a parked vehicle while fleeing.
I ran into the CEO in the kitchen; he's actually quite nice.
状況を考えよう
かしこまった場面では注意
問題解決の強い味方
会話のきっかけにも
Smart Tips
Replace 'I met my friend by accident' with 'I ran into my friend'.
Remember that 'into' is a strong preposition that doesn't need a partner.
Use 'run into' for the vehicle that was moving and 'hit' for the impact.
Use 'run into' to emphasize that a price is surprisingly high.
発音
Linking
The 'n' in 'run' links to the 'i' in 'into'. It sounds like 'ru-ninto'.
Stress
The primary stress is on 'run'. Do not stress 'into' unless you are emphasizing the direction.
Surprise Intonation
I ran into SARAH! ↗
Conveys excitement and surprise about the encounter.
暗記しよう
記憶術
Think of 'Running' fast and 'Into' a person—you didn't see them coming!
視覚的連想
Imagine you are jogging in a park and you literally collide with a friend holding a giant 'SURPRISE' sign. This helps you remember it's for unplanned meetings.
Rhyme
Out for a spin, a friend walks in—I ran into them with a grin!
Story
I was at the mall to buy shoes. Suddenly, I saw my old boss near the fountain. I didn't want to see him, but I ran into him anyway. We talked for five minutes, and then I left.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Go for a walk or to a public place. If you see someone you know, tell yourself: 'I just ran into [Name].' If you don't see anyone, imagine who you *might* run into.
文化メモ
Running into someone usually requires a short 'small talk' session (2-5 minutes). It is considered slightly rude to just say 'Hi' and keep walking without a brief explanation of why you are there.
'Bump into' is often preferred over 'run into' in casual British English, though both are understood.
'Run into' is the dominant form. Americans might use 'ran into' even if they only saw the person from a distance but didn't speak.
The phrase combines the verb 'run' (from Old English 'rinnan') and the preposition 'into'.
会話のきっかけ
Who was the last person you ran into unexpectedly?
Have you ever run into a celebrity in real life?
What would you do if you ran into your ex-partner today?
Tell me about a time a project you worked on ran into difficulties.
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
I ___ my old math teacher at the grocery store last night.
Find and fix the mistake:
We are meeting into some serious budget problems with the new project.
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /3
練習問題
8 exercisesYesterday, I ___ my old boss at the train station.
Choose the correct option:
Find and fix the mistake:
We are going to run into for coffee tomorrow at 10 AM.
I met my cousin by surprise at the mall.
Match the following:
A: Why were you late? B: I ___ my neighbor and we started talking.
I ran into a bit of trouble with my computer.
What does it mean?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercisesIf you ___ any issues installing the software, let me know.
I meet into an old classmate at the festival last weekend.
Which sentence is correct?
Me encontré con mi dentista en el supermercado.
Arrange these words into a meaningful sentence:
Match the sentence halves:
We were just chatting when we ___ an old friend from high school.
My phone keeps running with problems after the update.
Which option is correct?
Tuvimos dificultades inesperadas con el nuevo diseño.
Score: /10
よくある質問 (8)
No, you should never use `with`. The correct form is `I ran into him`.
It is neutral. You can use it with friends, but it's also fine in a business meeting to describe a problem.
They are almost the same. `Bump into` is slightly more informal and more common in British English.
No. You only `run into` people you already know. For a first-time meeting, use `meet`.
Use `run` for the present/future and `ran` for the past. Since most surprise meetings are stories, `ran into` is very common.
Yes, but it means a physical collision, like `The car ran into a tree`.
No, it is an inseparable phrasal verb. The object must come after `into`.
It means to start experiencing problems or difficulties.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Encontrarse con / Tropezar con
English does not use 'with' after 'into'.
Tomber sur / Rencontrer par hasard
French uses a different verb ('fall') entirely.
Jemandem zufällig begegnen
German doesn't use a phrasal verb structure for this.
偶然会う (Guuzen au)
Japanese relies on an adverb rather than a phrasal verb.
صادف (Saadafa)
Arabic uses a single root verb, not a verb-preposition combo.
偶然碰见 (Ǒurán pèngjiàn)
Chinese requires the adverb '偶然' to specify it was by chance.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
関連動画
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