Spanish Phrase
¿Cuándo se conocieron?
Meaning
Literally, 'When did they meet each other?'. It asks for the moment two people first met. The verb 'conocer' in the preterite signals a completed past event.
When to use
Use this question when you want to know the exact time or occasion two people first met—whether it's a friend, a couple, or colleagues. It works in informal and semi‑formal conversations.
✦Grammar Breakdown
¿Cuándoseconocieron?
¿Cuándo?
Interrogative adverb meaning 'when', used to ask about time.
se (reflexive pronoun)
In this context, 'se' is part of the reciprocal construction indicating that two or more people met each other.
conocieron (preterite of conocer)
Third‑person plural preterite of 'conocer' meaning 'to meet' or 'to become acquainted with'.
Reciprocal verb construction
When two subjects act upon each other, Spanish often uses a reflexive pronoun (se) with the verb.
🗨In Conversation
¿Cuándo se conocieron?
When did they meet?
Se conocieron en la fiesta de cumpleaños de Ana, el mes pasado.
They met at Ana's birthday party last month.
✕Common Mistakes
¿Cuándo se conoció?
Using singular 'se conoció' changes the subject to one person; the question would then mean 'When did he/she meet (someone)?'
¿Cuándo conocieron?
If you omit the reflexive pronoun, the meaning shifts to 'When did they get to know (something/someone)?' which is not the intended reciprocal sense.
Cuándo se conocieron?
Missing the opening question mark is a punctuation error in Spanish; both opening (¿) and closing (?) marks are required.
↔Alternatives
¿En qué momento se conocieron?
At what moment did they meet?
¿Cómo se conocieron?
How did they meet?
¿Cuándo fue su primer encuentro?
When was their first encounter?
Cultural Tip
In many Spanish‑speaking cultures, asking about how people met can be a friendly ice‑breaker, especially when talking about couples. Be mindful of the register: '¿Cuándo se conocieron?' is neutral, but in very informal settings you might hear '¿Cuándo se toparon?' (literally 'when did they bump into each other?') which adds a colloquial flavor.