What Does “Run sb into sth” Mean?
“Run sb into sth” means to accidentally hit someone or something with a vehicle or to cause someone to encounter a problem or difficulty.
Introduction
The phrase “Run sb into sth” is a common phrasal verb used in English to describe two main situations. First, it can mean accidentally hitting a person or object with a car or bike. Second, it can describe causing someone to face trouble or problems unexpectedly. Understanding the Run sb into sth meaning will help you use it correctly in different contexts. This phrasal verb is useful in daily conversations, especially when talking about accidents or difficulties.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: run sb into sth → run somebody into something
- Type: transitive
- Level: B2
- Short meaning: to hit someone or something by accident; to cause someone to experience a problem
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Run sb into sth” is a separable phrasal verb. You can place the object (sb) between “run” and “into” or after the whole phrasal verb.
- run somebody into something
- run into something with somebody (less common)
Examples of patterns:
- He ran her into a tree.
- She ran into a problem yesterday.
How to Use Run sb into sth?
Use “run sb into sth” when you want to describe accidentally hitting someone or something with a vehicle or causing someone to face an unexpected problem. It is often used in past tense to talk about accidents or difficulties that happened.
It can describe physical accidents or more abstract situations like problems in work or life.
Examples
Here are some examples of “Run sb into sth in a sentence” to help you understand its use:
- He accidentally ran me into a parked car while trying to park his bike.
- During the meeting, she ran into some unexpected issues with the project.
- The driver ran the cyclist into a fence by mistake.
- They ran into financial problems after the business failed.
- I ran into an old friend at the supermarket yesterday.
Common Mistakes
People often confuse “run sb into sth” with similar phrases or use incorrect word order. Here are some incorrect vs. correct examples:
- Incorrect: He ran into her a tree.
Correct: He ran her into a tree. - Incorrect: She ran into the problem.
Correct: She ran into a problem. (without “sb”) - Incorrect: I run into the dog with my car.
Correct: I ran the dog into something (or) I ran into the dog.
Differences / Synonyms
“Run sb into sth” can be confused with “run into sb” or “bump into sb.”
- Run into sb: means to meet someone by chance. Example: I ran into my teacher at the mall.
- Bump into sb: means to accidentally hit someone, usually lightly. Example: She bumped into me in the hallway.
- Run sb into sth: means to hit someone or cause problems, usually with a vehicle or metaphorically. Example: He ran me into a post with his car.
Common Collocations
People often use “run sb into sth” with certain objects or problems. Here are some common collocations:
- Run sb into a tree: hitting a tree accidentally
- Run sb into a fence: crashing into a fence
- Run sb into trouble: causing problems
- Run sb into debt: causing financial problems
- Run sb into difficulties: causing challenges or problems
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of run sb into sth:
Real-life Dialogue
Here is a short conversation using “run sb into sth”:
Tom: Did you hear about the accident yesterday?
Anna: No, what happened?
Tom: John ran his bike into a tree. He wasn’t hurt, but the bike is damaged.
Anna: Oh no! Was it his fault?
Tom: He said he lost control and accidentally ran into the tree.
Practice
Try to complete the sentences with the correct form of “run sb into sth”:
- She accidentally ________ her bike ________ a fence last weekend.
- They ________ some problems with their new software update.
- He ________ me ________ a lamp while backing up his car.
FAQ
- Q: Can “run sb into sth” be used for problems, not just accidents?
A: Yes, it can describe causing someone to face difficulties or problems.
- Q: Is “run sb into sth” separable?
A: Yes, you can separate the object from the verb and the preposition.
- Q: What is the difference between “run into sb” and “run sb into sth”?
“Run into sb” means to meet by chance. “Run sb into sth” means to hit or cause problems.
- Q: Can I use “run sb into sth” in the present tense?
A: It is possible but more common in past tense when talking about accidents or problems.
- Q: Is “run sb into sth” formal or informal?
It’s commonly used in everyday informal and semi-formal English.
