Cool MateHow nice to see you vs Nice to meet you
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
How nice to see you
Top 2,000 (common)
Nice to meet you
Top 1,000 (very common)A2
Most common: Nice to meet you
| How nice to see you | Nice to meet you | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //haʊ naɪs tə siː juː//🇺🇸 //haʊ naɪs tə siː juː// | 🇬🇧 //naɪs tə miːt juː//🇺🇸 //naɪs tə mit ju// |
| Meaning | It's friendly to meet someone again. | A polite way to say hello when you meet someone. |
| Example | When I walked in, she smiled and said, 'How nice to see you!' | It's so nice to meet you at this conference. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 1,000 (very common) |
| CEFR level | - | A2 |
| Collocations | say how nice to see you, reply 'how nice to see you', greet with how nice to see you | great to meet you, happy to meet you, pleasure to meet you |
| Antonyms | How unpleasant to see you, How bad to see you, How awful to see you | Nice to leave you, Sorry to miss you, Bad to meet you |
| Common mistakes | Omitting 'how' and saying just 'Nice to see you.', Using in overly formal settings., Saying it when meeting someone for the first time. | Confused with 'nice meeting you' which is used after actually meeting., Saying it too late after the introduction is awkward., Using it when you're already familiar with the person. |
| Usage notes | Use in friendly, casual contexts. It's warm and welcoming, suitable for both acquaintances and friends. Not appropriate in very formal situations. | Used in both formal and informal settings. Appropriate during introductions, but avoid in very casual contexts or if the person is not a stranger. |
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Frequently asked questions: How nice to see you vs Nice to meet you
What's the difference between How nice to see you and Nice to meet you?
How nice to see you: It's friendly to meet someone again. Nice to meet you: A polite way to say hello when you meet someone.
Which is more common: How nice to see you and Nice to meet you?
Nice to meet you is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
How nice to see you: When I walked in, she smiled and said, 'How nice to see you!' Nice to meet you: It's so nice to meet you at this conference.
Can I use How nice to see you and Nice to meet you interchangeably?
Not always. How nice to see you and Nice to meet you are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.