Nice to see you is a way of saying you're happy to see someone you already know. It's warm but not too personal, so it works for a friend, a colleague or a neighbour. When you meet someone for the very first time, you say Nice to meet you instead.
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(It's) nice to see you (again); (It was) nice to see you / nice seeing you (when leaving); Nice to see you too / You too (reply)
- Hi, Tom! Nice to see you again, how was your trip to Spain?
- — Nice to see you, Grandma! — Nice to see you too, come in, dinner's ready.
- I have to run now, but it was really nice to see you.
What changed
First versionAnna! Nice to meet you again, it's been ages!
RevisionAnna! Nice to see you again, it's been ages!
In this phrase, meet means “get to know someone for the first time”. That's why Nice to meet you is for people you've just met. Running into an old friend may feel like “meeting” them, but with someone you've known for years, you need see.
The phrase also works when you leave, but in the past: It was nice to see you or Nice seeing you, “it was good to catch up”. The reply is short: Nice to see you too or just You too. To someone you've just met, you say Nice meeting you as you leave.
Your turn
Kate and I were at school together, so when I saw her at the conference, I said, 'Kate! Nice to ___ you!'
Show the answer
see — Kate is an old classmate, and the speaker has known her since school, so it's nice to see you. Nice to meet you is for when you meet someone for the first time.
Write a short dialogue: you bump into a former colleague in the street. Greet them and ask one question about their new job.
— Mark! Nice to see you, it's been two years! How's the new job at the bank? — Nice to see you too, it's going really well.
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