German · Everyday Verbs
"to meet" in German: treffen
treffen
Note: for the first time: kennenlernen
To meet in German is treffen. Say Ich treffe dich um acht or Wir treffen uns morgen. Kennenlernen is first-time meeting — different verb.
Making plans
Ich treffe dich vor dem Kino.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce treffen
Say it
TREF-en
/ˈtʁɛfn̩/
TREF-en. Soft -en. Stress on Tref.
"to meet" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| treffen | to meet Main verb. | Main verb. |
| ich treffe / du triffst | I meet / you meet Present (stem change). | Present (stem change). |
| uns treffen | to meet (each other) Reflexive plans. | Reflexive plans. |
| getroffen | met Past participle. | Past participle. |
How to use treffen in real life
- 1Making plans
Ich treffe dich vor dem Kino.
I'll meet you in front of the cinema.
Ich treffe.
- 2Checking time
Triffst du uns noch vor sieben?
Are you still meeting us before seven?
Triffst du.
- 3Already happened
Wir haben uns gestern im Park getroffen.
We met in the park yesterday.
Getroffen.
Mistakes English speakers make with treffen
Incorrect: Ich kennenlerne dich morgen. (only)
Correct: Ich treffe dich morgen. / Ich lerne dich kennen.
Kennenlernen alone does not count as treffen.
Incorrect: Das Treffen ist um acht. (as the verb)
Correct: Wir treffen uns um acht.
The noun Treffen is not the verb treffen.
Good to know
Wir treffen uns is the default arrange-a-meetup phrase. Bis dann! often closes the plan after a time and place are set.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Setting a study meetup
ChatPal
Treffen wir uns in der Bibliothek?
Shall we meet in the library?
You
Ja, ich treffe dich am Eingang.
Yes, I'll meet you at the entrance.
ChatPal
Gut. Triffst du auch Lea?
Good. Are you meeting Lea too?
You
Vielleicht — wir haben uns letzte Woche getroffen.
Maybe — we met last week.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to meet" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to meet" in German
How do you conjugate treffen?
Ich treffe, du triffst, er/sie trifft; past traf, getroffen.
Meet each other?
Sich treffen — Wir treffen uns.
Treffen vs kennenlernen?
Treffen is meet up; kennenlernen is meet for the first time.
Does das Treffen count?
No — use a verb form like treffe.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
