Gap-fill
Rencontrer or retrouver: a meeting and a lost notebook
Complete a short French story about a chance encounter, an arranged meeting and a lost notebook. Compare rencontrer, retrouver and se retrouver.
- A2
- 6 gaps
- Translation included
- Learn this in the A2 notebook →
In short
Rencontrer presents an encounter with someone, by chance or by arrangement. Retrouver can mean meeting up with someone or finding something again. On se retrouve où ? asks where to meet; j’ai retrouvé mon carnet says you found your notebook.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
rencontrer quelqu’unmeet or encounter someone
Focus: the encounter itself
J’ai rencontré une ancienne collègue dans le train.
I met a former colleague on the train.
retrouver quelqu’unmeet up with or join someone
Focus: joining someone at a meeting point
Je retrouve Hugo devant le café.
I’m meeting Hugo outside the café.
retrouver quelque chosefind something again
Focus: recovering an item
J’ai retrouvé mes clés dans ma poche.
I found my keys in my pocket.
“First meeting versus meeting again” is only a starting point. You can rencontrer an old friend by chance. You can also rencontrer la responsable demain for a planned work discussion. With a time and place, retrouver is useful for joining someone: je te retrouve à midi.
The objects in the search
Find:
What is the difference between rencontrer and retrouver?
Complete each gap with the form of the verb in brackets. The hints ask for either a present form or a past participle. Read for the event too: meeting a person and recovering an object use different meanings.
Le carnet rouge
Samedi matin, je vais au marché. Près de l’entrée, je (rencontrer, présent) une ancienne collègue. Nous parlons quelques minutes. Puis je lui dis : « Je dois partir. Je (retrouver, présent) Hugo devant le café à midi. »
Hugo m’envoie un message : « On se (retrouver, présent) à l’intérieur ? Il pleut. » Quand j’arrive, il est déjà là. Je cherche mon carnet rouge dans mon sac : rien. Hier soir, j’ai (rencontrer, participe passé) une amie au cinéma. J’ai peut-être laissé mon carnet là-bas.
Je téléphone au cinéma. Une employée regarde près de la caisse. Elle a (retrouver, participe passé) mon carnet ! Le billet est encore à l’intérieur. Après le café, je vais le chercher. À la maison, je (retrouver, présent) aussi mes clés sous mon manteau. Quelle matinée !
Read it in English
On Saturday morning, I go to the market. Near the entrance, I meet a former colleague. We talk for a few minutes. Then I tell her: “I have to go. I’m meeting Hugo outside the café at midday.”
Hugo sends me a message: “Shall we meet inside? It’s raining.” When I arrive, he’s already there. I look for my red notebook in my bag: nothing. Last night, I met a friend at the cinema. Perhaps I left my notebook there.
I phone the cinema. An employee looks near the till. She has found my notebook! The ticket is still inside. After the coffee, I go and collect it. At home, I also find my keys under my coat. What a morning!