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I happened to meet him vs I met him by chance

Both phrases are correct and convey a similar meaning. 'I happened to meet him' implies that the meeting occurred unexpectedly or by chance. 'I met him by chance' directly states that the meeting was unplanned. The choice between the two depends on your personal preference or the desired tone of the sentence.
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Explained by Jennifer
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: September 16, 2024 • 17899 views

I happened to meet him

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express an unexpected or chance meeting.

This phrase is used to describe a meeting that occurred unexpectedly or by chance, without prior planning.

Examples:

  • I happened to meet him at the grocery store yesterday.
  • She happened to meet her old friend while walking in the park.
  • He happened to meet his favorite actor at the airport.
  • They happened to meet at a conference last year.
  • We happened to meet each other at the party.
  • Mar 20, 2015 ... Just yesterday, I happened to meet him. *Just yesterday, I happen to have met him. (WRONG because "happen" is semantically incompatible ...
  • English-German translation for: I happened to meet him. ä ö ü ß. DE <> EN, DE – > EN, EN –> DE, ---- ... I happened to meet him. Ich traf ihn zufällig. Ich habe ihn ...
  • Deutsch-Englisch-Wörterbuch. Deutsch-Englisch-Übersetzung für: I happened to meet him. ä ö ü ß. DE <> EN, DE –> EN, EN –> DE, -----, DE <> EN, -----, DE <> ...
  • Results for: I happened to meet him.Translations: 1 – 30 / 45. English, German. I happened to meet him. Ich traf ihn zufällig. assistance to meet the cost of living?

Alternatives:

  • I coincidentally met him.
  • I chanced upon him.
  • I unexpectedly met him.
  • I randomly met him.
  • I fortuitously met him.

I met him by chance

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to express an unplanned meeting.

This phrase directly states that a meeting was unplanned or occurred by coincidence.

Examples:

  • I met him by chance at the library.
  • She met her future business partner by chance at a networking event.
  • He met his long-lost friend by chance on the street.
  • They met by chance at a mutual friend's party.
  • We met by chance while waiting for the bus.
  • Feb 18, 2007 ... Hi, pls is it possible to interchange these two sentences withoung a change of meaning? I met him by accident. I met him by chance. Thank you.
  • I met him by chance. You cannot translate sentences because you did not add any language in your profile. Add a language. deu. Ich traf ihn zufällig. deu.
  • %by chance%, I met him by chance in the train this morning. %by chance%, I met him by chance in the train this morning. %by chance%, I met her by chance at ...
  • ... on the train the day before yesterday. by chance, I met her by chance. by chance, I met her by chance. by chance, I met him by chance in the train this morning.

Alternatives:

  • I unexpectedly encountered him.
  • I accidentally ran into him.
  • I coincidentally bumped into him.
  • I randomly crossed paths with him.
  • I fortuitously encountered him.

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