Another phrase for ‘get to know someone’ [duplicate]
Solution 1:
I became acquainted with him when...
Collins says:
If you get or become acquainted with someone that you do not know, you talk to each other or do something together so that you get to know each other. You can also say that two people get or become acquainted.
WordHippo gives you some synonyms, so you could also say:
I made his acquaintance or I met him when...