Practice Makes Perfect

Rencontrer

As a rule, rencontrer is used when you meet someone for the first time or by chance:

Nella et Fabrice se sont rencontrés 

Nella and Fabrice met in a French class. 

dans un cours de français. 

J’ai rencontré Félicie ce matin au 

I ran into Félicie this morning at the flea 

marché aux puces. 

  market.

However, in formal situations, rencontrer does not necessarily refer to a first encounter. It empha-

sizes the importance of the meeting, but it does not mean that the persons involved had never  

met before.

Le Premier ministre français a rencontré  The French prime minister had a meeting 

son homologue britannique lors du 

  with his British counterpart during the 

Sommet européen. 

  European Summit.

Rejoindre

Rejoindre means that one person or more will meet another or several persons in a specific place.