verb

begegnen

encounter · meet

Es bedeutet, dass man zufällig oder absichtlich mit einer anderen Person oder Sache in Kontakt kommt.

Definition & meaning

Begegnen is a German verb with several related meanings:

To meet or encounter someone, usually by chance or unexpectedly.
- Ich bin gestern einem alten Freund begegnet.
  “I met an old friend yesterday.”
- The person encountered is usually in the dative case:
  jemandem begegnen — “to meet someone.”
To encounter or come across something, including an abstract experience or situation.
- Im Alltag begegnen uns viele Herausforderungen.
  “We encounter many challenges in everyday life.”
To respond to or counter something, especially a problem, danger, or criticism.
- Man muss dieser Gefahr entschlossen begegnen.
  “One must confront this danger decisively.”
To treat or regard someone in a particular way, usually expressed with an adjective.
- Sie begegnet ihren Kollegen mit Respekt.
  “She treats her colleagues with respect.”

Grammar & Word origin

Begegnen is a regular, inseparable verb:

Infinitive: begegnen
Present: er begegnet
Simple past: er begegnete
Perfect: er ist begegnet

It normally takes the dative:

Ich begegne dem Mann. — “I meet the man.”
Wir begegnen unseren Nachbarn. — “We meet our neighbors.”

The word consists historically of the prefix be- and a form related to gegen , “against” or “towards.” Its original sense was connected with coming toward someone or something.

Synonyms & antonyms

Synonyms

treffen — “to meet”; often more general than begegnen and can describe a planned meeting.
antreffen — “to find or encounter someone”; often emphasizes finding someone in a particular place.
entgegentreten — “to confront” or “stand up to”; stronger and more deliberate than begegnen.
sich stellen — “to face” or “confront”; emphasizes actively dealing with a difficulty.
entgegenwirken — “to counteract”; used mainly for problems, risks, or negative developments.

Antonyms

There is no single exact antonym for all meanings of begegnen. Depending on the context:

meiden — “to avoid”; the opposite of meeting or deliberately coming into contact with someone.
ausweichen — “to evade” or “avoid”; suggests moving away from a person, obstacle, or problem.
verfehlen — “to miss”; used when two people fail to meet.
ignorieren — “to ignore”; can be the opposite of treating someone with attention or respect.