Begegnen
Example: Ich bin ihm gestern zufällig auf der Straße begegnet.
Definition
"Begegnen" means to meet or encounter someone, often by chance or unexpectedly. It refers to the act of coming across a person or thing, as in the example sentence, where someone unexpectedly met another person on the street.
Etymology
The word "begegnen" comes from the German prefix 'be-' combined with the verb 'gegnen,' which is related to 'gegen,' meaning 'against' or 'towards.' This formation suggests the idea of coming face to face or meeting. Did you know that "begegnen" originally implied a more physical encounter or opposition?
Learn to use this word actively
"Begegnen" appears in the Vocaplus list "German - General - (B1) - set 4", containing 113 commonly used words.
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