Learn Hardcore French: On se retrouve à la gare demain matin. - We are meeting at the train station tomorrow morning.

In everyday French, on commonly means we.
It always takes 3rd‑person singular verb forms: on se retrouve, not on nous retrouvons.
In other contexts, on can mean people/one in general, but here it clearly means we.

Can I say nous nous retrouvons instead of on se retrouve?

Yes. Both mean the same thing.
On se retrouve is neutral and very common in speech.
Nous nous retrouvons sounds more formal or written; it’s also used to avoid ambiguity in careful writing.

Why is it se retrouver (reflexive)? Can I drop se?

Se retrouver expresses a reciprocal action: meet each other.
Without se, retrouver needs a direct object: On retrouve Paul à la gare (we meet/find Paul).
On retrouve à la gare is ungrammatical because there’s no object.

What’s the difference between se retrouver, rencontrer, and se rejoindre?

Se retrouver: meet up with someone you know, typically by arrangement.
Rencontrer: meet someone (often first time or by chance), or have a meeting with.
Se rejoindre: join each other, converge on the same place; near‑synonym to se retrouver, with a slight emphasis on coming together from different places.

The verb is in the present, but it’s about the future. Is that normal?

Yes. French often uses the present for a near‑future plan when there’s a time marker (here, demain matin).
Alternatives:
- Futur proche: On va se retrouver à la gare demain matin (we’re going to meet).
- Futur simple: Nous nous retrouverons à la gare demain matin (more formal or distant).

Is the word order place‑then‑time obligatory? Could I say the time first?

Both are fine: On se retrouve à la gare demain matin and On se retrouve demain matin à la gare.
A common pattern is place before time, but speech is flexible.
If you stack times, go from general to specific: demain matin à 9 heures.

Why à la gare and not dans la gare, en gare, or à la station?

À la gare: at the station area (unspecified inside/outside).
Dans la gare: explicitly inside the station building.
Devant la gare: in front of the station.
En gare: railway jargon/announcements (e.g., train en gare); not the usual choice for plans between friends.
Station is for metro/tram/gas, etc. For the subway use à la station de métro X; for trains use à la gare.

Why à la and not au or à l’?

Could I say demain dans la matinée or au matin instead of demain matin?

Demain matin: tomorrow morning (neutral).
Demain dans la matinée: sometime during the morning, not at a specific time.
Demain au matin: chiefly Canadian; rare in France.
To be more precise: tôt demain matin, demain en fin de matinée, etc.

How do I make it negative or ask it as a question/suggestion?

Negative: On ne se retrouve pas à la gare demain matin.
Yes/no question: Est‑ce qu’on se retrouve à la gare demain matin ?
Formal inversion: Se retrouve‑t‑on à la gare demain matin ?
Colloquial suggestion with rising intonation: On se retrouve à la gare demain matin ?

Are there more formal or more casual alternatives to say this?

Neutral/casual: On se retrouve…
Suggesting or formal-ish: Rendez‑vous à la gare demain matin.
Inclusive imperative: Retrouvons‑nous à la gare demain matin.
Very casual: On se rejoint à la gare demain matin or slangy On se capte à la gare demain matin (informal).

Where does the reflexive pronoun go in other tenses, and what about agreement?

Futur proche: On va se retrouver à la gare demain matin (pronoun before the infinitive).
Passé composé: On s’est retrouvés à la gare. Pronominal verbs use être.
Agreement: In modern usage, many writers agree with the actual group: On s’est retrouvés (mixed/men), On s’est retrouvées (all women). Some very formal styles keep masculine singular with on, but plural agreement is common in everyday French.