incontrarli

Incontrarli is the infinitive form incontrare with the direct-object clitic pronoun li attached, meaning “to meet them.” It is used when the object of meeting is a masculine plural group (or a mixed-gender group). If the group is feminine, the corresponding form is incontrarle. The word can refer to people or things.

Grammar notes: In Italian, clitic pronouns usually precede the finite verb, but when a verb is used with another verb in the infinitive after modals or expressions like volere, volere + infinitive allows attaching the pronoun to the infinitive itself, as in vogli o incontrarli. In compound tenses with avere, the pronoun typically precedes the auxiliary: Li ho incontrati (I have met them). The participle agrees with the gender and number of the direct object: Li ho incontrati for a masculine plural group, or Li ho incontrate for a feminine plural group. If the pronoun is used with feminine groups in different constructions, corresponding forms follow the same agreement rules (le for feminine plural).

Usage and examples:

- Voglio incontrarli domani. (I want to meet them tomorrow.)

- Devo incontrarli al centro. (I must meet them at the center.)

- Li ho incontrati al museo. (I met them at the museum.)

- Per le presentazioni, le ho incontrate ieri. (For the introductions, I met them yesterday; feminine plural example: le ho incontrate.)

Distinctions: incontrarli differs from incontrarsi, which is the reciprocal form meaning “to meet each other.” Incur few contexts, both can appear in reports of meetings, but they express different relationships between the participants.

See also: Italian pronouns, clitic pronouns, incontrare.