ontmoeten vs afspreken met
Dutch word comparison
Listen to ontmoeten
Listen to afspreken met
| ontmoeten | afspreken met |
|---|---|
/ont-MOE-ten/ verb | /AF-spre-kən met/ verb |
| to meet someone; to encounter or come across a person | to arrange to meet with someone |
How they differ
'Afspreken met' is not a simple synonym in every context: it emphasizes making an appointment or arranging the meeting beforehand. 'Ontmoeten' can describe the actual meeting itself, including chance encounters, while 'afspreken met' focuses on the planning stage.
When to use each
When to use ontmoeten: Use 'ontmoeten' when you mean the actual act of meeting someone, especially if it happens unexpectedly or without emphasis on planning.
When to use afspreken met: Use 'afspreken met' when the important point is that you and the other person made plans to meet.
Side-by-side examples
- Ik ontmoet hem vaak in de bibliotheek.
(I often meet him in the library.) - Ik spreek morgen met hem af in de bibliotheek.
(I am arranging to meet him in the library tomorrow.)
Register & nuance: Afspreken met is very common in everyday spoken Dutch and sounds more practical than 'ontmoeten'.