'I met my friend...'

Question

How would you say "I met my friend" or "I got to meet my friend"?

With all these views you deserve an answer.. - annierats, ENE 8, 2012

Answer 1

I met my friend can mean two different things, which are expressed differently in Spanish.

If you were saying, "I met my friend", as in met him/got to know him for the first time, you would use conocer:

Conocí a mi amigo (por primera vez).

If you were saying "I met my friend" as in, I met at the bar for a drink, you would use encontrar:

Encontré con mi amigo (para disfrutar una copa o algo así).

I just noticed that encontrar takes con, not a, when you meet up with someone.

Well done, jeremias, I feel relieved the cavalry has arrived. - annierats, ENE 8, 2012

Some cavalry, Annie, but thanks... Let's hope the cavalry isn't charging at windmills today. - Jeremias, ENE 8, 2012

No, I was also slightly worried if it was a story from long ago, how they first met, but i decided to take the easy opption. - annierats, ENE 8, 2012

Answer 2

Encontré a mi amigo.

This is a suggestion which might activate other people into answering.

Answer 3

I met my friend:

"me encontré con mi amigo"

I've got to meet my friend:

"tengo que encontrarme/verme con mi amigo"

I think there's a little ambiguity here. I don't the question is I must meet my friend which your answer suggests, but more along the lines of I managed to meet my friend, or I met my friend. Please correct me if I am wrong. - caza, ENE 8, 2012