How to say “to meet” in German

Useful German Words: In English, the word “to meet” can mean meeting someone for the first time as well as meeting someone you’ve met before. In German, there are separate words for these situations:

“kennenlernen” – “to meet for the first time” / “to get to know”
“treffen” – “to meet (up) with someone you already know”

So, during a formal introduction it is normal to say “Nett Sie kennenzulernen.” (“Nice to meet you.”) or “Es hat mich sehr gefreut, Sie kennenzulernen.” (“It was nice meeting you”.)

“Ich treffe heute Freunde.” – “Today I’m meeting friends.”

Incidentally, if the word “kennenlernen” is too long for you, it is also acceptable to write two words: “kennen lernen”.