Meaning trap
run into
hit or collide with
to accidentally hit or crash into something or someone while moving.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to accidentally hit or crash into something or someone while moving.
Another meaning of 'run into' is 'meet by chance'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
Be careful not to run into the table when you walk past.
On my way to work, I nearly ran into another car because the roads were so slippery after the rain.
Fix the pattern
One small grammar move makes it sound right.
Not: He ran into with a tree.
Say: He ran into a tree.
'Run into' takes the object directly — no 'with'.
Which sounds natural?
Tap the one a native speaker would say.
'Run into' is the everyday verb for crashing into something; 'collided with' is formal/report-like.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
run into + obstacle
- a tree
- the back of a car
- a wall
- a parked van
Don't confuse it
Related
Other meanings and phrases to compare.
- run into (meet by chance) — Another meaning of 'run into' is 'meet by chance'; compare the examples to keep the meanings separate.