“Meet” and “met” are forms of the same verb. “Meet” is the base form you use for the present, future, and after modals. “Met” is the simple past and also the past participle used in perfect tenses.

“Meet” means to come together with someone, often by arrangement, or to be introduced to someone for the first time. It can also mean to arrive and be together at a place. The form you choose changes the time reference, not the core meaning.

Use “meet” for habits, routines, and generally true situations in the present. With he, she, it, add -s to make “meets”. This form talks about what happens regularly or what is scheduled as a usual pattern.

Subject	Form	Example
I	meet	I meet my manager on Mondays.
you	meet	You meet the clients every week.
he	meets	He meets us after work.
she	meets	She meets her tutor online.
it	meets	It meets the requirements.
we	meet	We meet at the café.
they	meet	They meet before class.

Use “met” for actions that happened and finished in the past. It refers to a specific time, even if the time is not stated. “Met” is the correct past form for all subjects.

Subject	Form	Example
I	met	I met her yesterday.
you	met	You met them at the station.
he	met	He met the CEO last year.
she	met	She met me after the meeting.
it	met	It met the deadline.
we	met	We met for lunch.
they	met	They met at a conference.

Use “met” as the past participle after have or has. This connects the past to the present, focusing on experience or a result. The time can be unfinished or not specific.

Rule	Example
Use have met for life experience up to now	I have met many interesting people.
Use has met with he, she, it	She has met our new neighbor.
Use had met for a past-before-past relationship	They had met before they worked together.

For future time, you usually use “meet” with will, be going to, or present continuous when the plan is arranged. The verb form stays “meet” after will and going to. Planning language makes the future meaning clear.

Rule	Example
After will, use the base form meet	I will meet you at 6.
After be going to, use meet	We are going to meet tomorrow.
Use present continuous for arranged plans	I am meeting her later.

After modal verbs, use the base form “meet”, not “met”. Modals include can, could, may, might, must, should, and would. This rule is about grammar structure, not time alone.

Rule	Example
After a modal, use meet	We can meet after class.
Do not use met after a modal	We should meet soon.
Use could meet for polite suggestions or possibilities	We could meet on Friday.

“Meet someone” can mean being introduced for the first time or coming together with a person. Context signals which meaning is intended, such as “for the first time” or a specific plan. Both meanings use the same forms: meet or met depending on time.

Rule	Example
First introduction meaning often includes first time	I met her for the first time in 2020.
Planned encounter meaning often includes a place or time	Let’s meet at the entrance.

Use “meet at” to emphasize the location of the encounter. The preposition “at” points to a place or a specific point in time like a clock time. This is common for arrangements and instructions.

Rule	Example
Use meet at + place	We met at the airport.
Use meet at + time	Let’s meet at 3 o’clock.

Use “meet with” to emphasize a more formal or organized meeting, often for discussion or business. It can also suggest meeting a group or person as part of a professional purpose. In many contexts, “meet” and “meet with” are both possible, but “meet with” sounds more formal.

Rule	Example
Use meet with for formal discussions	I met with the lawyer.
Use meet for a simpler or more neutral idea	I met the lawyer.