Meaning trap
run into
encounter difficulties
to unexpectedly experience or face problems, difficulties, or obstacles, especially in a project, process, or plan.
Don't mix these meanings
Same phrase, different job.
to unexpectedly experience or face problems, difficulties, or obstacles, especially in a project, process, or plan.
'run into' also has the more basic meaning 'meet by chance'; this is the advanced sense.
Hear it in context
Notice where the phrase sounds natural.
- The company ran into financial difficulties after the market crash.problems
- Many students run into problems when adapting to a new educational system, particularly if the teaching style is very different from what they are used to.IELTS speaking
Fix the pattern
Pattern: run into + problems/difficulties/obstacles/trouble
WrongWe ran into with some problems.
RightWe ran into some problems.
'Run into' takes the object directly — no 'with'.
Patternrun into + problems/difficulties/obstacles/trouble
Use it right
Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.
'Run into' is the everyday verb for hitting problems; 'encountered unforeseen complications' is formal.
Build natural chunks
Words that usually travel with it.
run into + troubleproblemstroubledifficultiesdebt
Don't confuse it
This sense is figurative and refers to encountering abstract problems or difficulties, not physically meeting someone (sense 1) or colliding with something (sense 2).
Related
- run into (meet by chance) — 'run into' also has the more basic meaning 'meet by chance'; this is the advanced sense.