Spanish word

encuentro

Pronunciation

IPA/eŋˈkwentɾo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounencounter

Example

Ayer tuve un encuentro inesperado con un viejo amigo.

Yesterday I had an unexpected encounter with an old friend.

Illustration for encuentro (encounter)

More examples

El equipo ganó el encuentro de anoche.

The team won last night's sports match.

Core concept

People coming together face to face.

Common phrases

  • tener un encuentro

    have an encounter

  • un encuentro inesperado

    an unexpected encounter

  • un encuentro deportivo

    sports match

  • encuentro casual

    chance encounter

Similar words

reunión: Gathering of people assembled to address a specific purpose or agenda.
cita: Prearranged appointment to meet someone at an agreed time and place.
evento: Scheduled occasion or organized happening with attendees or spectators.

Definition in Spanish

Suceso en que una persona o un grupo se encuentra con otra(s), que puede ser fortuito o concertado; también se emplea para designar reuniones o partidos deportivos.

Word origin

Derived from the verb encontrar and ultimately from Latin in- 'in' + contra 'against', encuentro means 'to come face to face' and is now used for meetings, chance encounters, and sporting fixtures.

Usage tips

  • Speakers often add modifiers such as inesperado, concertado, or programado to show whether an encuentro was accidental or planned, and in sports contexts encuentro commonly refers to a match.

Other meanings

  • meetingnoun
  • matchnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word