Cool MateNice meeting you vs Nice to meet you
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Nice meeting you
Top 2,000 (common)
Nice to meet you
Top 1,000 (very common)A2
Most common: Nice to meet you
| Nice meeting you | Nice to meet you | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //naɪs ˈmiːtɪŋ jʊ//🇺🇸 //naɪs ˈmiːtɪŋ jʊ// | 🇬🇧 //naɪs tə miːt juː//🇺🇸 //naɪs tə mit ju// |
| Meaning | It was good to meet you. | A polite way to say hello when you meet someone. |
| Example | It was nice meeting you at the conference. | 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 | nice meeting you too, it was nice meeting you, very nice meeting you | great to meet you, happy to meet you, pleasure to meet you |
| Antonyms | Goodbye, Farewell, See you later | Nice to leave you, Sorry to miss you, Bad to meet you |
| Common mistakes | Saying 'nice to meet you' when you have met before., 'Nice meeting you' used instead of 'nice to meet you.' | 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 after meeting someone for the first time. Appropriate in professional and social settings, but avoid 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: Nice meeting you vs Nice to meet you
What's the difference between Nice meeting you and Nice to meet you?
Nice meeting you: It was good to meet you. Nice to meet you: A polite way to say hello when you meet someone.
Which is more common: Nice meeting you and Nice to meet you?
Nice to meet you is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Nice meeting you: It was nice meeting you at the conference. Nice to meet you: It's so nice to meet you at this conference.
Can I use Nice meeting you and Nice to meet you interchangeably?
Not always. Nice meeting 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.