Skip to content
French · Verb · #213 most common

rencontrer

to meet


Regular1st ending

In the tables below, the stem is shown in black and the ending in purple.

1.

Présent

Current actions, habits, and general truths.

jerencontre
turencontres
il/ellerencontre
nousrencontrons
vousrencontrez
ils/ellesrencontrent

Je rencontre souvent mes amis au café.

I often meet my friends at the café.

Elle rencontre des personnes intéressantes à son nouveau travail.

She meets interesting people at her new job.

2.

Passé Composé

Completed past actions with present relevance.

jeai rencontré
tuas rencontré
il/ellea rencontré
nousavons rencontré
vousavez rencontré
ils/ellesont rencontré

Nous avons rencontré notre professeur hier.

We met our teacher yesterday.

Ils ont rencontré leurs voisins lors de la fête.

They met their neighbors at the party.

3.

Imparfait

Ongoing or habitual past actions, descriptions, and background.

jerencontrais
turencontrais
il/ellerencontrait
nousrencontrions
vousrencontriez
ils/ellesrencontraient

Quand j'étais jeune, je rencontrais souvent mes cousins.

When I was young, I often met my cousins.

Elle rencontrait toujours des gens intéressants lors de ses voyages.

She always met interesting people during her travels.

4.

Futur Simple

Future events, promises, and formal predictions.

jerencontrerai
turencontreras
il/ellerencontrera
nousrencontrerons
vousrencontrerez
ils/ellesrencontreront

Demain, je rencontrerai mon nouveau collègue.

Tomorrow, I will meet my new colleague.

Nous rencontrerons nos amis au parc ce week-end.

We will meet our friends at the park this weekend.

5.

Conditionnel Présent

Hypothetical outcomes, polite requests, and reported future.

jerencontrerais
turencontrerais
il/ellerencontrerait
nousrencontrerions
vousrencontreriez
ils/ellesrencontreraient

Je rencontrerais plus de gens si j'allais à des événements.

I would meet more people if I went to events.

Elle rencontrerait son idole si elle avait l'occasion.

She would meet her idol if she had the chance.

6.

Subjonctif Présent

Doubt, desire, necessity, and emotion in subordinate clauses.

jerencontre
turencontres
il/ellerencontre
nousrencontrions
vousrencontriez
ils/ellesrencontrent

Il faut que je rencontre le directeur avant de partir.

I need to meet the director before leaving.

Il est important qu'elle rencontre son équipe bientôt.

It is important that she meets her team soon.

7.

Plus-que-parfait

Actions completed before another past action.

jeavais rencontré
tuavais rencontré
il/elleavait rencontré
nousavions rencontré
vousaviez rencontré
ils/ellesavaient rencontré

Avant de déménager, j'avais rencontré tous mes voisins.

Before moving, I had met all my neighbors.

Ils avaient rencontré leur guide avant de commencer la randonnée.

They had met their guide before starting the hike.

"rencontrer" in other languages

Related verbs

Common questions
Is "rencontrer" regular or irregular in French?
"rencontrer" is a regular 1st verb in French. It follows the standard conjugation pattern for 1st verbs.
How do you conjugate "rencontrer" in the present tense?
In the Présent, "rencontrer" conjugates as: rencontre, rencontres, rencontrons, and more. See the full table above.
What is the past tense of "rencontrer" in French?
In the Passé Composé, "rencontrer" conjugates as: ai rencontré, as rencontré, avons rencontré, and more. See the full table above.
How common is "rencontrer" in French?
"rencontrer" (to meet) is one of the most commonly used verbs in French.