Long time no see is a friendly greeting that means we haven't seen each other for a long time. You say it when you meet someone you know after a long break. The phrase doesn't follow normal grammar, but it is a fixed expression, and nothing in it can be changed. It is informal, for friends and acquaintances; with your manager or someone you don't know well, It's good to see you again is a better choice.
When would you say long time no see?
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Long time no see! (greeting); Long time no see + question: How have you been?
- Hi, Olga! Long time no see. How was your year in Canada?
- Long time no see! Are you still working at the bank?
- When I walked into the reunion, my old roommate shouted, 'Long time no see!'
What changed
First versionHi, Marina! Long time no seen. How are your kids?
RevisionHi, Marina! Long time no see. How are your kids?
The phrase looks ungrammatical, so it is tempting to fix it: turn see into seen or add not. But the expression is frozen and is only ever said this way. The correction simply puts see back in place of seen.
Long time no see is only a greeting at the start of a meeting, and nothing is added to it, so Long time no see you sounds wrong. To say that you haven't seen someone for a long time, use a full sentence: I haven't seen Pavel since university. Among friends, It's been ages! sounds just as natural.
Your turn
I bumped into my old classmate at the station and said, '___! How have you been?'
Show the answer
Long time no see — You have known your classmate for years and haven't seen him for a long time, so Long time no see fits. Nice to meet you is for meeting someone for the first time; you don't say it to an old friend.
Imagine you have met someone you know but haven't seen for over a year. Write how you would greet them and ask one question about what has changed in their life.
Long time no see, Dima! Did you finally move to Kazan like you planned?
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