The statement “It was nice to see you again” is widely used and sounds like a good thing to say when reconnecting with someone you haven’t seen in a while.
Of course, the tone and delivery make a difference when saying, “It was nice to see you again,” but other alternatives can better express your feelings, depending on the situation.
Some substitutes capture the element of surprise more, while others let you show how much you’ve missed the person.
So, next time you run into someone from your past, try some interesting alternatives in this post.
Key Takeaways
- If you’re meeting someone, a great alternative to “It was nice to see you again” is “I’m really pleased to see you again,” which shows how happy you are to reconnect.
- For a more effusive response, you can say, “I’m delighted to see you again.”
- In a formal setting, if you want to sound professional, it’s better to say, “It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”
- If you’re reconnecting with friends or close ones, you can say, “I’m happy we catched up.” This sounds less formal.
The truth is, saying “nice to see you again” can quickly become clichéd, impersonal, or insincere if it is not accompanied by real warmth.
I have heard many people say this exact phrase, and it sounded more like an automatic response than a thoughtful greeting.
While native English speakers don’t have many common alternatives, you can create a unique expression when you consider the message you want to convey.
We’ve compiled a list of the best options below for you to try.
List of the best Synonyms for “It Was Nice to See You Again”
- Long time no see!
- I’m happy we catched up.
- Yo, we meet again.
- I’m really pleased to see you again.
- I’m delighted to see you again.
- It’s a pleasure to meet you again.
- Great to see you again.
- It’s good to see you again.
- It’s lovely to see your familiar face.
- It’s a treat to see you again.
- It’s been nice seeing you.
- It’s good to see you here.
- It’s always good to see you.
- It’s good to meet you at last.
- Glad to Reconnect.
All of the recommended responses are polite, socially appropriate greetings that show you acknowledge the person and are happy to reconnect.
You can use any of them to begin the conversation on a positive note. Let’s look into how each can be used and in what context would work best.
1. Long time no see!
If you haven’t seen someone for a while, you can say, “Long time no see,” instead of “It was nice to see you again.”
“Long time no see” is an informal English greeting used when people haven’t seen each other for an extended period.
Since there aren’t many variations on that phrase and we often say similar things, “long time no see” is a great alternative.
2. I’m happy we catched up
“It was nice to catch up with you!” is another excellent choice.
You can use this phrase after you’ve met someone again, chatted a bit, and are about to say goodbye. It fits well because you might also say, “It was nice to see you again,” in the same situation.
This phrase has a friendly feel, so it might not fit very formal settings.
3. Yo, we meet again
What really makes the phrase “Yo, we meet again” a perfect substitute for “it was nice to see you again” is the opening of the sentence.
“Yo” is generally used as an exclamation to get someone’s attention, express excitement, or greet someone, so it is in line with what our original phrase attempts to do.
You can then go on to now really start talking in the second sentence, using open-ended questions like “How are you?”, “How is life treating you?” etc.
4. I’m really pleased to see you again
In a formal setting, if you want to sound more professional, it’s better to say, “It’s a pleasure to meet you again.”
This phrase sounds more formal than “Nice to see you again” and uses “pleasure” instead of “nice,” which makes it feel a bit more refined.
It emphasises how happy you are to see the person, showing genuine excitement about the encounter.
However, it’s especially fitting for unexpected meetings or chance encounters.
5. I’m delighted to see you again
It can make all the difference when you change the adjectives within sentences. So that’s why “I’m delighted to see you again” sounds more genuine than “it was nice to see you again.”
Sometimes, you’d want to say this phrase that shows or expresses gratitude, pleasure, or approval in an unrestrained or heartfelt manner. That’s where this alternative works.
It’s best used for cases where the meeting was arranged and planned, like a second romantic date or a follow-up physical meeting.
6. It’s a pleasure to meet you again
When you consider something a pleasure, it means you enjoyed every part of it happening (or about to happen).
However, this one suits a more formal setting because of the tone and word arrangement.
7. Great to see you again
If you’re pleased to see someone, you might say, “Great to see you again.” This works well with friends and can also be used in professional situations.
In American English, “Good to see you again” and “Nice to see you again” suit most friendly encounters.
Some other phrases might sound quite formal and more common in British or Australian English.
8. It’s good to see you again
While the phrase “It was nice to see you again” is polite, it sounds more natural to say “it’s” instead of “it was.”
As far as I know, there isn’t a more formal way to say this in English. English doesn’t have as many levels of politeness as languages like Japanese.
You could also use a different adjective, like “it’s good to see you again.” While “nice” works, it’s not as strong as “good.”
9. It’s lovely to see your familiar face
You can add creativity to your response by saying seeing their familiar face is a delight.
Since “it was nice to see you again” suggests you’re meeting the person for a second time, using the word “familiar” makes sense.
This shows you appreciate their presence and the connection you’ve built from past meetings and time spent together.
10. It’s a treat to see you again
In English, you can refer to something as a “treat” when it’s special and brings you joy.
So, saying, “It’s a treat to see you again,” is a clever and sophisticated way to express, “It was nice to see you again.”
This phrase suggests that you enjoy spending time with the person regularly and find it to be a delightful experience.
11. It’s been nice seeing you
“It’s been nice seeing you” is a phrase you would use at the end of a meeting.
You can also say it when greeting someone you’ve met before but haven’t seen in a while.
A similar phrase is “It’s good/nice to meet you,” which you would use when meeting someone new.
12. It’s good to see you here
If you wouldn’t normally expect to meet another person in that particular place, “It’s good to see you here” sounds more suitable than “It was nice to see you again.”
This alternative response helps you to emphasize the surprise element of meeting the person rather than the pleasure of running into them.
13. It’s always good to see you
Sometimes, the person you’re seeing is someone you’ve met often but not regularly. In that case, it makes more sense to say, “It’s always good to see you.”
This suggests that you look forward to similar meetings in the future.
You can use this for someone who comes to your house for family dinners every month or for business partners who attend your annual party.
14. It’s good to meet you at last
If you’ve communicated with someone before but haven’t met in person, you can say, “It’s good to meet you at last” instead of “It was nice to see you again.”
This works well for people like pen pals or long-distance partners who finally meet face-to-face after communicating online or with any middleman.
15. Glad to reconnect
The phrase “glad to reconnect” perfectly expresses happiness about getting back in touch with someone after separation.
For example, if you’ve been away from work and are meeting a colleague for the first time this year, you can use this phrase.
It’s also nice to follow up with open-ended questions like “How have you been?” to show that you missed them and are genuinely glad to see them, as you want to know how they’ve been doing.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been looking for another way to say “Nice/happy to see you again,” we hope our suggestions have been helpful.
You don’t need to memorize all 15 responses. Just bookmark this post or choose your top three favourites, so when you run into someone you haven’t seen in a while, you won’t be stuck repeating the exact old phrase.
With a few options in your back pocket, you’ll be ready for any occasion that calls for it.
